1  B7^ 


Its 


♦ 


*  « 


EXERCISES 


OF 


CLASS     DAT 


AT 


DARTMOUTH  COLLEGE, 


TUESDAY,    JULY    19,    1870. 


HAXO  YE  E,    X.    H. 
PRTXTED   AT   THE  DARTMOUTH  PEESS. 

1870. 


MAESHAL I 

FRAISTKLEST   WORCESTER, 

HOLLIS,  N.  H. 


INTRODUCTORY  ADDRESS. 


BY  GEORGE  S.   EDGELL,  ST.  LOUIS,   MO. 


The  summer  of  1870  lias  at  last  thrown  its  mantle  full  about 
us,  ushering  in  that  parting  week  toward  which  we  have  been 
steadily  marching  but  with  A^aried  fortune  for  four  influential 
years,  the  happiest  period,  says  every  graduate,  of  one's  life.  Dur- 
ing these  years  we  have  been  marching  to  the  united  music  of 
joy  and  regret : — -joy,  to  think  that  so  soon  we  shall  each  be  in- 
trusted with  his  own  little  craft  to  guide  how  and  whithersoever 
he  will — -joy  in  the  modest  hope  that  the  little  bark  goes  out 
heavier  freighted,  better  able  to  avoid  the  shoals  and  quicksands 
than  on  the  initial  day ; — regret,  to  know  that  so  soon  we  must 
for  the  last  time  grasp  the  hands  of  those  who  have  become  near 
and  dear  to  ns  as  the  bonds  of  fraternal  love  can  make  them. 
"lis  hard  to  tell  which  thrills  us  most,  yet  I  am  safe  in  saying  that 
the  strings  of  sadness  have  vibrated  with  keener  sensibility  as 
each  week  has  brought  nearer  this  our  Farewell  Day — our  "Class 
Day." 

The  observance  of  the  day  in  this  country  dates  back  to 
the  year  1760  and  seems  to  have  originated  in  a  desire  on  the 
part  of  the  students  to  have  a  memorial  celebration  of  the  part- 
ing of  the  class — a  festival  of  Hope  and  genial  sociality,  strictly 
democratic,  where  they  might  rule  without  advice  or  suggestion 
from  that  higher  authority  who  stands  toward  every  Freshman 
"In  loco  parentis?  At  that  time  it  was  "the  day  of  the  dismis- 
sion of  the  Senior  Class  from  all  academic  exercises"  after  having 
passed  the  "ordeal  for  a  degree."  It  was  usual  for  each  scholar 
to  bring  with  him  to  the  meeting  for  the  election  of  Class  Offi- 
cers, a  bottle  of  wine,  which  practise,  the  writer  observes,  "had  a 
tendency  to  produce  disorders,"  for  there  were  disorders  in  those 


4  INTB  OD  UOTOB  Y  ADDRESS. 

days.  The  social  exercises  might  be  resolved  into  the  disposing 
of  fifty  gallons  of  punch,  that  quantity  being  considered  requisite 
for  the  ready  flow  of  ideas.  The  literary  exercises  of  the  day 
embracing  only  a  Valedictory  Poem  and  a  Valedictory  Latin 
Oration,  at  the  close  of  which  the  class  formed  in  procession  and 
waited  on  the  Faculty  to  the  President's  house  where  they  "were 
very  respectably  treated  with  wine,  &c,"  which  fact  accounts  for 
the  presentation  of  the  handsome  and  capacious  punch-bowl  in 
the  year  1771  "to  the  President  of  Dartmouth  College  and  to  his 
successors."  Is  it  a  sign  of  the  progress  of  the  age  that  this 
flowing  bowl  is  no  longer  required  in  the  use  for  which  the  cun- 
ning of  the  skillful  artist  had  fashioned  it  ? 

From  year  to  year  these  exercises  have  gradually  changed 
to  suit  the  changing  times.  It  might  be  well  to  note  a  few  of 
the  more  important  epochs  in  the  history  of  the  day  we  celebrate. 
In  the  year  1818,  with  thanks  be  it  said,  an  English  oration 
superseded  the  Latin — while  1842  will  be  remembered  with  grat- 
itude as  the  herald  which  proclaimed  the  death  of  punch-drink- 
ing and  the  beginning  of  the  more  agreeable  pastime — dancing — 
also  the  first  mention  of  the  Chronicles  when  "the  orator  revealed, 
with  witty  and  appropriate  remarks,  the  transactions  of  the  class." 
While  last,  but  not  less  important,  the  inaugurating  of  the  Fare- 
well Address  at  the  Tree  garlanded  with  flowers. 

Dartmouth  has  held  a  place  at  this  board  since  1854 — begin- 
ning with  an  oration,  then  a  poem,  and  a  parting'  song.  I  must  keep 
clear  of  the  broad  highway  of  reality  upon  which  our  orator  is  soon 
to  enter,  nor,  had  I  the  inspiration  must  I  loiter  with  the  Muses.  It 
belongs  to  others  to  speak  of  our  past,  and  foretell  our  future. 
But  I  may  allude  to  what  is  with  us  now.  There  is  a  "silent  side" 
to  college  life  which'  cannot  now  be  made  to  speak,  but  the  re- 
sults could  be  clearly  seen  were  it  allowed  us  to  gaze  into  the  fir- 
mament of  human  character  with  time-penetrating  instruments. 
For  there  are  certain  parts  of  ourselves  which  come  forth  readily 
and  spontaneously  in  speech,  as  if  flowing  from  the  soul — while, 
there  are  other  parts  and  such  as  were  builded  on  patient  and 
earnest  thought,  till  they  had  been  reared  into  comeliness  and 
shape,  which,  though  beyond  the  reach  of  human  touch,  are  none 
the  less  real,  but  leave  the  spirit  dissatisfied,  conscious  of  its  false 
position  before  others. 


INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS.  5 

It  is  too  often  the  misfortune  of  college  life  to  show 
edges  and  corners  which  conflict  harshly  with  public  opin- 
ion— for  which,  the  whole  life  is  looked  upon  with  apprehen 
sion  and  distrust  by  those  unwilling  to  believe  that  this  gaiety  is 
merely  the  outcropping  of  a  generous  nature,  forgetting  that  oft'- 
times  the  most  beautiful  things  in  pleasure-gardens  are  made 
from  disfigurements,  as  the  old.  stumps  are  transformed  into  pe- 
destals for  flowers,  or  adorned  with  climbing  vines. 

Separate  us  from  these  drawbacks,  and  we  are,  as  was  said, 
very  like  to  bodies  from  which  the  law  of  gravitation  had  sud- 
denly departed ;  but  let  us,  overcoming  and  subduing  them,  practi- 
cally adopting  them,  as  the  root  grasps  the  stone,  still  reaching 
heavenward  with  its  branches — mount  to  heights  above,  we  will 
be  refreshed  by  a  pure  atmosphere  which  seldom  reaches  the  val- 
ley but  sweeps  over  the  crest,  seeming  to  those  below  but  stormy 
winds,  while  in  reality  they  make  up  the  connecting  link  which 
crowns  the  human  and  underlies  the  divine,  demanding  of  us 
only  to  be  true  to  ourselves  and  true  to  Heaven. 


ORATION. 


Flattered  as  we  are  by  the  kindly  interest  of  friends  who 
have  assembled  here  on  the  eve  of  our  departure  from  these  walks 
of  classic  age ;  proud  of  that  anticipated  garment  which  shall  con- 
ceal the  wolfish  tatters  of  our  education  from  the  eyes  of  the  cyn- 
ical world;  strange  would  it  seem  if  aught  but  the  brightest  of 
dreams  hovered  about  our  imagination,  filled  with  castles  reared 
on  the  bones  of  Webster  and  Choate,  and  ladders  already  carved, 
leaning  high  up  toward  that  pinnacle  which  fame  has  crowned  with 
her  bays.  That  these  dreams  may  be  proudly  realized,  that  the 
cares  of  parent  and  instructor  may  meet  their  appropriate  reward, 
will  depend  not  on  the  pictures  that  hope  may  paint,  or  the  prom- 
ises that  our  course  in  these  halls  may  give,  but  upon  such  efforts 
as  we  shall  make  to  follow  that  rugged  way  of  duty,  so  dignified 
by  the  foot-prints  of  great  and  noble  men.  Few  rose-buds  will 
be  strown  in  our  pathway.  Craggy  and  rough  is  the  hill  that 
lies  before  the  vision  of  our  fancy,  although  now  softened  by  that 
twilight  of  youthful  expectation,  which  clings  around  the  fading 
days  of  a  college  life. 

Lingering  as  we  do  in  the  deceptive  shadows  that  usher  in 
the  mysteries  of  the  hereafter ;  surrounded  by  the  Will-o'-the- 
wisps  of  ambition  that  lure  youth  on  to  failure  and  ruin,  the  oc- 
casion is  one  that  disregards  the  past  with  its  pleasant  recollec. 
tions ;  the  present  with  its  hopes  and  sadness,  and  looks  only  to  that 
future  out  of  whose  chaos  a  pedestal  of  fitness  for  each  one  of  us 
shall  be  produced.  Your  attention,  then,  will  be  briefly  called  to 
certain  obstacles  to  the  success  of  the  coming  man  which  are  espec- 
ially presented  in  American  society,  and  which  are  of  prominent  in- 
terest to  the  graduate  of  an  American  college.    Not  that  success  so 


ORATION.  7 

lavishly  bestowed  on  mere  wealth  and  position,  or  that  with  which 

talent  and  genius  sock  to  gratify  their  vanity  and  ambition,  but 
the  result  of  that  noble  action  which  accomplishes  its  great  ob- 
ject and  violates  no  law  of  duty  in  the  subject ;  a  treasure  that 
outlives  the  billows  of  popular  execration,  and  depends  on  no  ser- 
vile flattery  for  a  precarious  existence.  Success  as  applied  to  the 
mere  accomplishment  of  ends  without  regard  to  their  worths,  or 
to  the  dictates  of  duty, which  encourages  no  virtue  either  by  prom- 
inent example  or  silent  influence,  is  not  that  which  a  rational  self 
love  would  demand,  or  that  which  hangs  over  the  memory  of 
those  whom  the  right  alone  has  actuated  to  oreat  and  unselfish 
deeds. 

Our  success  is  that  of  the  viri,  not  of  the  homi/'ies, that  which 
regards  self  respect  and  conscience,  and  has  no  reference  to  party 
favorites  or  railroad  corpulency  which  looks  always  to  the  crea- 
tion and  preservation  of  a  pure  moral  character,  that  eternal  pow- 
er which  feels  no  bonds  of  body,  and,  unmindful  of  death,  will 
still  go  forth, 

"And  do  what  our  frail  clay  thus  clogg'd,  hath  failed  in." 

But  what  are  these  obstacles  in  the  way  of  success,  for  in  the 
ardor  and  energy  of  youth  the  spirit  ot  conquest  exclaims,  "There 
are  no  Alps."  Trae,  every  thing  seems  propitious.  Objects  are 
around  us  in  every  field  ;  science  unexplored ;  theologies  unsolved, 
promising  honor  and  fame  to  the  successful  seer;  mires  from 
political  stables ;  Hydras  in  the  realms  of  morals,  daring  the  youth- 
ful Hercules  to  mighty  tasks.  Xor  can  opportunities  be  wanting 
in  a  land  untrammeled  by  despotism  and  superstition,  with  free 
thought  and  expression,  the  great  weapons  of  reform,  open  to  all. 
Yet  nevertheless  there  are  obstacles  in  the  way,  obscure  from  the 
garb  they  wear;  dangerous  from  the  adulation  with  which  they 
seek  to  exalt  our  weakness.  As  the  vampire  fans  his  victim  to 
sleep  while  he  sucks  the  blood  from  his  languid  veins ;  so  a  moral 
death  may  be  the  result  of  their  soothing  breezes  inviting  us  to 
gentle  rest.  They  threaten  not  as  the  strong  crag  or  precipitous 
ravine  in  our  path ;  but  like  the  impreceptible  accumulation  of 
the  delta,  appear  formidable  only  when  the  mind  is  distracted 
from  its  channels  into  the  mud  and  miasma  of  swampy  bayous. 
More  effective  than  open  dangers,  they  battle  not  as  the  strong 


8  ORATION. 

gale  in  the  fable;  but  like  the  insidious  persuasion  of  the  sun  com- 
pelling us  to  lay  off  our  mantle  of  our  own  accord ;  introducing 
the  wooden  horse  into  our  walls,  and  making  our  greatest  enemy 
our  indolent  perverted  self. 

The  first  great  obstacle  in  the  way  of  success  is  the  influence 
of  popular  opinion  and  favor  in  destroying  that  individuality  and 
integrity  which  are  so  necessary  for  its  attainment.  As  long  as 
man  is  pleased  with  the  approbation,  or  dreads  the  frowns  of 
society ;  as  long  as  desire  for  power  prompts  us  to  apply  to  its 
source,  such  an  influence  must  be  felt  in  molding  the  characters 
of  some  men,  rendering  them  but  the  stereotypes  of  the  manners 
around  them.  Undesirable  as  would  be  the  effect  of  such  an 
educating  force  where  all  its  members  are  moral  and  intelligent ; 
what  must  it  be  in  a  land  where  lavish  suffrage  allows  ignorance 
to  influence  action,  and  where  such  ideas  are  required,  not  as 
shall  represent  an  intelligent  minority,  but  a  mass  as  yet  unpuri- 
fied  by  the  potency  of  our  institutions. 

The  signal  failure  of  many  of  our  strongest  intellects,  and 
the  lack  of  true  independence  in  high  stations,  speak  louder  than 
words  the  magnitude  of  this  obstacle.  Custom,  the  great  impedi- 
ment of  reform  in  the  past ;  fashion,  the  great  tyrant  of  social 
life  at  present ;  both  have  used  the  people  as  a  champion,  and,  by 
them  send  forth  their  darts  of  satire  and  ridicule  against  any 
eccentricity  that  reason  or  virtue  may  produce  in  the  circle  of 
formality. 

Thoreau  when  once  asked  to  deliver  a  lecture  on  the  then 
new  subject  of  abolition  with  some  hints  as  to  its  treatment, 
answered  that,  if  it  was  their  desire,  he  would  give  them  his 
opinions  on  the  subject ;  a  sentiment  truly  remarkable  where  so 
few  dare  leave  the  approval  of  others  to  speak  their  own 
thoughts  to  the  world.  "Buyers  should  be  choosers,"  whispers 
the  servility  of  our  nature,  and  our  services  are  arranged  accord- 
ingly, making  us  but  sorry  teachers  in  a  land  where  truth  is  so 
necessary  for  progress  and  reform.  Not  to  be  respected  for  mo- 
rality, strength  of  character  or  unswerving  integrity ;  but  to  be 
saluted  by  all  as  the  popular  man  seems  to  be  the  object  sought 
for.  The  politician  seeks  it  by  the  protection  of  his  constituents' 
interests,  and  by  sympathizing  with  the  misfortunes  of  that  army 
of  paupers,  the  down  trodden  taxpayers.     The   lecturer  seeks  it 


Oil  AT  ION.  9 

by  humoring  our  folly  and  by  sacrificing  his  fruits  to  his  flowers, 
and  the  preacher  by  his  sensuous  paradise,  where  fast  horses,  and 
divorces  can  be  had  for  the  asking,  and  where  Dives,  not  Lazarus, 
reclines  on  the  bosom  of  Abraham. 

Ill  fares  science  or  theology  unless  smothered  with  that  dra- 
pery in  which  the  senses  delight,  or  on  which  mirth  has  stamped 
her  approval.  The  dry  bones  of  Puritanical  morals,  or  knotty 
questions  of  metaphysics  fall  by  the  wayside  unless  buried  by 
wreaths  of  metaphor,  or  winged  with  the  sounding  transcendent- 
alism of  the  day.  The  drama  of  Shakespeare  and  Jonson, 
shrunk  by  famine,  flies  from  the  stage  o'er  which  the  toe  of  the 
nude  ballet,  and  the  grin  of  disgusting  comedy  reign  with  undis- 
puted sway. 

From  this  influence  of  the  public  taste  two  of  our  greatest 
evils  arise ;  the  degeneracy  of  our  literature,  and  an  abuse  of 
equality.  It  would  seem  as  if  historian,  poet,  and  novelist  out  of 
regard  for  the  "loaves  and  fishes"  watch  only  for  changes  in  the 
popular  atmosphere  by  which  to  regulate  their  "apparent  expe- 
diency." Illiberality,  the  characteristic  of  ignoble  minds,  appears 
in  all  our  controversies,  critical,  moral,  or  political,  men,  not  mea- 
sures, are  attacked;  means  are  mistaken  for  ends,  and  everything 
but  a  candid  discussion  brings  reputation  to  the  author,  and 
relief  to  his  pockets. 

Says  an  American  humorist :  The  spirit  of  the  age  is  hedge- 
hogism  ;  and  so  far  is  this  spirit  engendered  in  our  journalists  and 
biographers,  that  not  only  the  present,  but  the  past  is  forced  to 
yield  up  its  idols  to  these  iconoclasts  who  work  at  the  instigation 
of  others,  More  cruel  than  the  amphitheatre  of  Rome  or  the 
bull  bait  of  Spain  is  our  arena,  where  popular  clamor  calls  for 
tournaments  and  spectacles  of  torture ;  where  our  journalists, 
like  hired  gladiators,  ply  their  trade  on  the  weak  and  unfortunate, 
wounding  with  truth  and  blackening  by  their  fiction.  Satire  for 
enemies,  and  immodest  eulogy  for  friends  seem  to  be  the  chosen 
language  of  bard  and  chronicler,  since  candid  pictures  of  mingled 
fault  and  virtue,  ill  suit  those  actuated  only  by  likes  and  dislikes. 

Out  of  that  blind  desire  of  equality  that  led  De  Tocqueville 
to  say  that  we  had  not  even  "the  natural  aristocracy  of  knowl- 
edge and  virtue,"  a  pseudo  aristocracy  has  sprang  up,  most  dan- 
gerous from  its  passing  by  all  indications  of  higher  thought  and 

2 


10  0  RATION. 

founding  on  the  rabble.  Such  a  one  as  leads  our  mayors  and 
senators  to  assume  the  satisfied  humility  of  Bounderby  when 
they  boast  of  the  gutter  as  a  cradle.  To  be  the  candidate  for 
position  in  politics  or  business  in  the  eyes  of  many,  morals, 
knowledge,  or  talents  are  not  so  necessary  as  some  seal  of  the 
mob.  Log  cabins  are  the  only  abodes  of  virtue ;  railsplitting 
and  tanneries  the  only  schools  for  executive  ability ;  bar  rooms 
afford  the  only  glasses  for  the  inspection  of  human  nature  ;  are 
accepted  as  axioms  by  the  people.     But   true  success  recognizes 

neither  lord  or  hin & William  from  the  luxurious  tables  of  the 

Nassaus ;  Demosthenes  from  the  ringing  forge  of  the  armorer, 
became  noble  only  by  that  character  whose  heraldry  was  patriot- 
ism and  honor.  .  Self-made  men  may  come  from  the  court  as  well 
as  the  plough,  and  a  title  which  we  have  applied  to  the  energies 
and  labors  of  such  men  as  Franklin  and  Arkwright,  sits  ill  on  the 
brow  of  fist  cuffs  and  maudlin  senators. 

Whatever  can  effect  such  results,  as  these  in  society,  and  so 
often  draw  genius  and  talent  from  their  course,  can  be  no  mean  ob- 
stacle in  our  way.  True  it  is  a  great  responsibility  to  assume  the 
rank  of  individual,  and  place  one's  judgment  and  thoughts  in  the 
scale  against  all  others,  yet  without  it  you  but  drift  along 
through  life  without  track  or  ripple.  Without  it  nothing  is  dis- 
covered for  to  the  individual,  not  the  mass,  is  the  power  of  con- 
ceiving. From  him  alone  has  the  world  obtained  its  position 
and  ideas  ;  on  him  alone  does  it  rely  for  its  future  progress  and 
final  station.  There  is  a  sort  of  bravado  that  garbs  itself  up  in 
independent  style,  and  boasts  its  pretensions  by  novelties  and 
oddities  of  thought,  but  the  sycophancy  of  this  bogus  virtue  may 
be  easily  seen  in  the  endeavor  to  strike  our  fancy,  not  to  instruct. 
But  such  unworthy  coins  can  only  circulate  with  a  lack  of  the 
true  metal.  ■ 

Says  that  great  philosopher  of  liberty,  John  Stuart  Mill,  "He 
who  lets  the  world,  or  his  own  portion  of  it,  choose  his  plan  of 
life  for  him  has  no  need  of  any  other  faculty  than  the  ape-like 
one  of  imitation ;"  and  how  do  we  see  this  proved  by  practice  ? 
ISTo  exercise  of  natural  judgment ;  no  subtle  analysis  of  truth 
with  the  strength  of  reason  ;  no  exercise  of  morality  for  the  di- 
rection of  great  reforms  ;  only  a  morbid  anxiety  for  the  shiftings 
of  popular  breezes  and  a  partial  insight  into  human  nature  by  the 


OBATIOJST.  11 

study  of  its  passions  and  desires,  seem  to  belong  to  sueli  men. 
In  vain  can  they  hope  immortality  if  nothing  of  their  own  founds 
the  structure.  It  is  not  the  indiscriminate  approval  of  the  many, 
but  the  candid  decision  of  the  few  that  bids  us  live.  As  the  cau- 
tious elephant  tests  again  and  again  the-bridge  that  is  to  bear  him 
over  the  stream,  so  does  the  wise  historian  examine  on  every  side 
that  life  which  is  to  bear  him  to  the  ears  of  posterity ;  for,  al- 
though the  workings  of  great  minds  may  fail  to  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  the  crowd,  yet  great  results  they  can,  and  Avill  appreciate, 
as  a  rule,  however  late  they  may  come.  Washington  midst  the 
complaints  of  Valley  Forge  ;  Columbus  threatened  by  the  angry 
scowls  of  impatient  seamen,  both  saw  in  the  future  results  that 
would  bring  sunshine.  Often  do  the  people  live  to  refute  their 
own  folly  and  woe  to  those  who  flattered  them  in  it.  Great  was 
the  punishment  of  the  revolutionary  leaders  of  France  ;  heavy 
has  been  the  blow  upon  those,  who,  irritated  by  clamor  and  satire, 
consented  to  become  the  tools,  rather  than  the  advisers,  of  the 
people  in  the  late  raid  on  Canada.  Cling,  then,  to  truth,  for  that 
alone  is  the  bark  to  immortality.  Perhaps  this  billow  may  dash 
over  it  ;  but,  again  and  again,  like  the  life  boat  in  the  storm,  will 
it  appear  until  anchored  in  conviction  it  harbors  safely  all  who 
embark.  The  voice  of  majorities  has  no  power  to  destroy,  the 
scorn  of  millions  no  power  to  tarnish  this  gem  of  brightness ; 
they  can  only  refuse  to  accept  it. 

"Truth  crushed  to  earth  will  rise  again, 

The  eternal  years  of  God  are  hers 
But  error,  wounded,  writhes  in  pain, 

And  dies  among  her  worshipers." 

Spielhagen,  in  the  words  of  the  insane  philosopher  Berger, 
makes  the  last  portal  into  the  great  mystery,  "To  despise  being 
despised."  Truly  this  is  the  gateway  to  the  mysteries  of  success. 
It  is  said  that  the  policy  of  the  Duke  of  Alva  was  often  ridiculed 
by  his  hot  blooded  countrymen  as  slothful  and  pedantic  ;  yet  he 
minded  not  their  criticism,  but  relied  wholly  upon  that  strength 
in  his  own  mind  which  alone  could  make  him  the  great  general 
of  his  age.  As  plants  are  annual  and  perennial,  so  are  men  of 
their  own  choice  petted  and  admired  for  the  season,  or,  unmind- 
ful of  storm   and  gale,  strong  and  rugged  like  the  mighty  elm 


12  ORATION. 

with  a  shade  that  all  may  bless  and  enjoy.  The  one  lives  by  the 
nourishment  of  popularity  ;  the  other  ignores  all  dependency  and 
flourishes  in  the  hardening  atmosphere  of  self-respect.  Too  of- 
ten where  great  men  have  failed  in  the  perfection  of  their  char- 
acter, the  cause  will  be  found  in  the  death  of  the  individual,  and 
an  unholy  fealty  given  to  that  crumbling  throne  on  which  inferior 
minds  sit  in  judgment. 

Another  obstacle  that  we  shall  mention  is  that  tendency  to 
adopt  the  superficial  which  must  be  prevalent  in  an  age  so  filled 
with  schemes,  and  a  land  so  broad  in  area,  and  requiring  so  much 
for  its  development.  So  much  is  there  to  be  clone,  and  so  few 
comparatively  to  do  it,  that  in  our  hurry  we  are  often  forced  to 
take  whatever  seems  best  without  stopping  to  calculate  its  utility. 
As  a  nation,  and  as  individuals,  we  attempt  to  accomplish  too 
much.  Blessed  with  a  broad  country  and  fruitful  soil  we  are  cov- 
etous of  more,  and  imagine  that  territory  will  bring  us  power. 
With  wealth  to  support  all  without  want,  our  treasures  are  turned 
to  3ibJ33fe3  of  speculation  in  order  to  increase  them.  As  noth- 
ing can  be  well  done  under  such  circumstances,  the  superficial  is 
compelled  to  stand  in  the  stead  of  perfection.  This  is  both  ruin- 
ous to  our  progress  as  a  nation,  and  to  our  improvement  as  men. 
It  is  not  economy  to  slight  anything,  whether  in  the  examination 
of  laws,  or  in  the  cultivation  of  the  mind.  There  is  something 
more  to  be  considered  than  the  mere  exigencies  of  the  day ; 
something  more  needed  than  our  common  schools  to  fit  men  for 
duties,  in  order  to  perform  which,  Cicero  studied  over  all  the 
Avorld  ;  something  more  than  abridged  law  courses  to  fit  man  for 
a  bench  that  a  lifetime  of  study  can  scarcely  honor.  But  we 
seem  to  have  no  faith  in  a  preparation  for  anything  beyond  the 
present.  Our  plan  is  wholly  experimental.  Every  end  is,  to  feed, 
draw,  and  clothe.  If  the  pay  of  a  master  of  arts  is  greater  than 
that  of  a  mechanic,  a  diploma  from  one  of  our  superficial  colleges 
is  sought  for  by  devoting  a  paltry  four  years  to  study  well  sand- 
wiched with  teachings  and  vacations.  Our  only  wealth  is  mate- 
rial utility.  We  generalize  on  the  word  practical  without  know- 
ing its  significance.  Practical  educations,  practical  inventions, 
and  practical  statesmen  are  extemporized  for  the  accomplishment 
of  momentary  ends.  Common  sense,  the  guide  of  the  uneduca- 
ted, has  driven  uncommon  sense  from  the  field.     Theory,  the  off- 


ORATION.  13 

spring  of  far-seeing  minds,  by  which  rules  for  the  future  may  be 
formed  from  the  past,  is  succeeded  by  experiment  alone,  the  child 
of  limited  vision,  as  though  the  world  wanted  facts  rather  than 
principles  of  action.  , 

But  if  the  present  is  but  the  beginning  of  the  future;  rela- 
tions should  be  considered,  and  foundations  examined.  Crops 
and  oil  wells  are  Aot  the  only  necessities  of  man,  he  has  higher 
faculties  that  need  cultivation.  But  a  narrow  practical  is  that 
which  looks  only  to  the  hour;  whose  depth  of  intellect  goes  no 
farther  than  facts;  whose  moral  force  is  the  army  and  gallows. 
Homer  with  his  hairing  song  softening  the  passions  and  eleva- 
ting the  mind  ;  Plato  with  voice  of  heaven  turning  men  from  in- 
ferior being  to  the  the  loftiness  of  soul ;  Tacitus  with  philosophic 
pen  tracing  in  warning  lines  the  folly  of  the  past,  all  would  have 
lived  in  vain  were  these  the  only  objects  of  attention.  There  is 
something  deeper  than  the  mere  superficial  progress  that  we  are 
making;  something  more  than  what  the  senses  crave  does  man 
need  for  his  perfection.  In  our  great  haste  discipline  and  culture 
those  great  ornaments  of  the  mind  and  soul  have  been  neglected. 
To  be  sure  we  pile  up  huge  mounds,  but  we  construct  but  little 
leaving  in  our  work  cracks  and  chinks  open  to  the  lovers  of  envy 
and  malice.  We  want  system  and  power  of  arrangement.  The 
merest  tyro  may  hew  an  image  from  the  senseless  marble,  but  the 
culture  of  the  artist  and  the  ideal  already  born  in  the  soul  can 
alone  bring  forth  the  animated  divinity.  It  is  only  by  careful  cul- 
tivation that  man  becomes  fitted  for  any  great  work  out  of  which 
good  will  result. 

Even  when  our  minds  have  been  disciplined  and  matured  in 
every  part  there  is  a  great  danger.  We  have  a  desire  of  becom- 
ing universal  in  our  attainments  when  our  capacities,  stretched 
to  their  utmost,  can  complete  so  little.  It  is  said  of  an  old  Ger- 
man professor  that  on  his  death  he  mourned  the  attempt  of  so 
great  a  task  as  the  study  of  the  Greek  article,  and  regretted  that 
he  had  not  confined  himself  to  the  Dative  case.  Man  never  regrets 
undertaking  too  little,  if  he  treats  that  little  faithfully.  To  accom- 
plish much  in  the  laboratory  of  truth  there  must  be  division  of  labor 
and  a  pursuit  of  those  specalities  which  diversities  of  taste  and  tal- 
ents seem  to  specify.  It  was  the  only  way  that  success  was  ever 
found  in  the  past,  and  must  be  the  only  way  to  find  it  in  the  pres- 


14  ORATION. 

ent,  where  fields  for  study  increase  rather  than  diminish.  It  has 
been  asserted  that  Bacon,  the  father  of  modern  philosophy,  could 
not  read  a  work  of  science  at  the  present  day,  and  yet  we  have 
some  who  feel  a  remorse  if  they  have  not  a  smattering  of  all. 
Like  the  frog,  they  have  made  the  ox  their  model,  and  think  by 
stuffing  to  give  the  mind  development.  They  generally  burst. 
There  is  nothing  dwarfing  as  some  think  in  the  pursuit  of  special- 
ties. There  is  no  object,  however  small,  no  truth,  however  infe- 
rior, but  if  properly  treated  will  require  all  the  energies  of  the 
mind.  Our  faculties  were  not  given  us  to  work  by  themselves, 
each  to  attain  a  certain  object;  but  to  aid  and  support  each  other 
in  the  investigation  of  one  thing  at  a  time ;  to  examine  it  in 
every  light,  and  test  it  with  every  power.  By  superficial  study, 
which  results  in  partial  investigation  is  the  breadth  of  thought 
narrowed,  not  by  a  devotion  to  specialties.  The  one  is  distrac- 
tion ;  the  other  concentration.  The  one  renders  the  mind  puny 
from  its  delusion  ;  the  other  disciplines  it  for  decided  action,  and 
gives  it  strength  in  the  union  of  its  members. 

It  is  principally  by  these  two  obstacles  that  the  progress  of 
the  coming  man  will  be  retarded  in  the  search  for  that  success 
which  as  an  intellectual  and  moral  being  he  is  capable  of  attain- 
ing. High  resolves  and  a  firm  purpose  may  be  at  heart,  but  too 
often  they  prove  ineffective.  Glittering  prizes  of  position  and 
wealth  wean  us  from  them,  and,  although  knowing  the  right ; 
frightened  at  the  neglect  of  some  good  and  wise  man,  we  are  led 
like  Erasmus  to  say  :  "Let  others  effect  martyrdom,  for  myself  I 
am  unworthy  the  honor."  But  we  must  remember  that  influence, 
not  reputation ;  reality,  not  appearances,  only  are  immortal.  The 
success  that  stalks  forth  with  beating  of  drums  and  the  huzzas  of 
the  people,  which  requires  no  depth  of  thought  to  find  it,  gene- 
rally fades  before  the  examination  of  time. 

As  an  insight  to  our  dangers,  a  mirror  of  instruction  has  been 
bestowed  on  us  in  the  history  of  the  past"  Over  its  briglit  sur- 
face the  sad  faces  of  those  turned  from  honor  and  usefulness, 
from  a  dread  of  independence  or  from  indolence  in  investigation, 
may  be  often  seen,  together  with  such  men  as  William  the  Silent 
and  the  pure  minded  Burke,  who  stand  forth  worthy  of  respect 
and  admiration  simply  from  the  individuality  of  their  action  and 
singleness  of  purpose.     Many  may  dream  of  a  path  different  from 


OB  AT  I  ON.  15 

the  one  these  men  followed  ;  one  freed  from  danger  by  the  strong 
hand  of  wealth  or  the  watchful  eye  of  friends;  but  time  will  clip 
such  wings,  and  when  the  powers  of  nature  have  crumbled  their 
monuments  to  the  dust,  and  a  positive  influence  is  not  found  in 
its  stead,  the  name  will  sleep  with  the  body,  and  the  world  will 
feel  no  loss. 

To  each  one  of  you,  my  classmates,  has  been  given  a  sacred 
scroll,  on  which  the  deeds  of  life  are  to  be  recorded  as  a  passport 
into  the  immortal  domains  of  the  future,  where  you  may  live 
when  the  wheels  of  time  have  ceased  and  the  handiwork  of  man 
is  as  nought.  Fear  not  to  let  truth  grace  its  columns  for  in  that 
all  else  is  comprised;  but  press  on  to  your  object,  guarded  by  the 
mail  of  conscience  and  reason,  and,  when  our  deeds  have  called 
us  to  judgment,  may  none  of  us  as  he  gazes  over  his  records  have 
cause  to  say  : — 

Alas !  the  endowment  of  unmortal  power 

Is  matched  unequally  with  custom,  time, 

And  domineering  faculties  of  sense, 

In  all ;  in  most  with  superadded  foes, 

Idle  temptation, — open  vanities, 

Ephemeral  offspring  of  the  unblushing  world. 


POEM. 


BY  CHARLES  E.  WOODBURY,  ACWORTH,  N".  H. 


When  men  incline  to  celebrate 

A  great  event  in  time,     • 
Their  first  intent  is  this,  to  seek 

Some  one  to  make  a  rhyme. 
Although  it  is  a  rapid  age 

And  men's  minds  shrewd  and  terse, 
They  imitate  the  ancient's  ways, 

And  have  it  told  in  verse. 
Plain  prose,  alone,  is  not  enough 

To  satisfy  their  views, 
Satiety  is  wanting  till 

They've  visited  the  Muse. 
The  Muse,  as  you've  been  told  before, 

Is  fickle  and  unkind, 
And  though  so  often  sought  by  men, 

She  rarely  speaks  her  mind 
On  things  terrestrial  or  divine, — 

Offensively  to  none ; 
So  more  by  hit  than  any  wit, 

Much  harm  is  often  done. 
You  think,  perhaps,  a  poet's  life 

Is  far  above  a  slur, 
I  beg  you  don't  believe  the  Muse 

Till  you  have  courted  her. 
How  fickle  she  has  been,  has  oft 

Been  theme  for  poet's  lay ; 
How  kind  she  has,  to  me,  in  this, 

Is  left  for  you  to  say. 
The  rolling  year  agone,  has  brought 

Our  labors  to  a  close. 
The  wheel  of  time  in  swift  revolve 

At  last  our  number  shows ; 
No  more  those  classic  halls  will  wake 

Their  echoes  for  our  ear, 


POEM.  17 


No  more  the  campus  will  resound 

With  our  united  cheer ; 
Too  soon  we'll  smoke  the  calumet ; 

Too  soon  the  evergreen. 
We'll  march  adown  the  slope  once  more, 

The  old  familiar  scene. 
'Twas  not  allotted  me  to  tell 

Of  all  our  histories, 
Or  cast  the  magic  horoscope 

Proclaiming  prophecies ; 
Those  are  the  tasks  of  other  minds, 

To  me  are  left  the  lays, 
To  sing  the  song  of  Auld  Lang  Syne, 

Of  college  life  and  days. 
Let  mem'ry  take  you  by  the  hand 

And  lead  you  to  her  halls 
All  hung  about  in  queer  device ; 

Strange  pictures  on  the  walls. 
The  sunlight  falls  in  clear  soft  waves 

On  scenes  forgotten,  old, 
Deep  buried  with  the  past  you  thought, 

And  never  to  be  told, 
Except  perhaps  when  friend  meets  friend 

And  years  have  crept  apace, 
Recalled  will  be  those  days  ere  we 
Begun  life's  earnest  race. 

'Twas  morn,  and  fair  and  beautiful, 

The  sun  writh  rosy  hue 
From  out  the  east  had  risen  up 

And  lit  the  earth  anew. 
The  birds  had  sung  their  matinee, 

The  sun  drunk  up  the  dew ; 
And  classmates  we  begun  that  day 

A  life  both  strange  and  new. 
Oh  for  those  magic  scales  that  weigh 

Both  good  and  bad  intents, 
To  weigh  imagined  senators, 

Class  leaders,  presidents, 
That  gathered  then  at  sound  of  bell 

And  took  their  seats  at  prayers. 
How  many  now  who  will  not  say, 

Most  of  our  wheat  was  tares  ? 
Let  poet  sing  Italia's  praise, 

That  sunny  land  that  lies 
Beside  the  tideless  inland  sea, 

Beneath  deep  azure  skies ; 
3 


18  POEM. 


Of  days  in  blissful  listlessness, 

Passed  dreamily  away, 
Of  nights  bedecked  with  brilliant  stars 

More  blissful  than  the  day ; 
Of  amphitheatres,  where  each 

Cold  monumental  stone 
A  "habet"  bears  of  Koman  dames, 

And  marks  a  dying  moan. 
"Fair  Italy ;"  the  artist  sighs 

And  lays  his  brushes  by ; 
The  sculptor  drops  his  chisel  down 

And  echoes  back  the  cry. 
Oh  why  this  false,  mistaken  thought 

That  only  there  is  found 
True  genius,  and  that  in  her  air 

Are  naught  but  thoughts  profound  ? 
"Is  there  no  good  in  Nazareth," 

Shall  we  be  blindly  led 
To  find  our  place  'neath  smiling  skies, 

On  macaroni  fed  ? 
We  are  not  so  insanely  made ; 

No,  no  it  cannot  be 
That  wisdom's  only  nursery 

Is  placed  beyond  the  sea. 
Then  wake  ye  sons  of  learning,  wake, 

Shake  off  th'  accursed  chain 
Of  prejudice ;  there  is  some  good 

Yet  left  this  side  the  main, 
The  world  is  an  amphitheatre, 

Mankind  antagonists, 
And  soon  will  come  our  turn  classmates, 

To  enter  at  the  lists. 
'Twill  be  no  idle  tournament, 

No  tilt  with  playful  thrust, 
But  struggles  for  the  highest  fame, 

To  win,  perhaps,  a  crust ; 
Or  when  the  gilded  bubble  seems 

Almost  within  your  grasp, 
The  toy  so  envied  bursts,  and  leaves 

But  air  within  your  clasp. 
But  all  at  least  must  try  the  race, 

Though  few  there  be  to  win ; 
Experience  at  last  will  tell 

The  path  to  travel  in ; 
And  classmates  when  amid  such  cares 

Your  thoughts  turn  back,  away 
To  these  familiar  scenes  and  haunts 


POEM.  19 


Of  life's  bright  gala  day, 
You'll  sec  again  the  graceful  elms, 

The  sunlight  dropping  through 
Their  foliage  in  golden  bars, 

And  bathing  in  its  hue 
The  shady,  level  streets.    The  green, 

The  village  pride ;  and  all 
Your  pulses  beat  remembering 

The  ne'er  forgotten  call 
Of  full  divisions.    Warning !    Then 

What  you  have  done  and  dared. 
You  hear  again  some  name  called  out, 

And  echo,  "not  prepared." 
Again  you  see  the  torches  flare 

And  hear  the  marching  men, 
You  see  again  that  strange  weird  sight 

Within  the  darkened  glen. 
But  why  prolong  the  tale,  and  tell 

Of  all  the  gladsome  life 
We  found  amid  the  constant  jars, 

The  bickerings,  and  strife. 
It  was  not  always  cheerful  here, 

Our  smile  was  onetime  sad ; 
Our  morning  walks  our  evening  calls, 

A  theme  of  sorrow  had, 
We  missed  one  manly  form ;  we  knew 

Our  loss  was  but  his  gain, 
But  yet  the  link  in  dropping  out 

Had  left  a  broken  chain ; 
We  were  complete,  we  had  enough, 

Not  so  the  angel  band ; 
The  God  who  gave,  He  took  him  up 

To  sit  at  his  right  hand. 
It  all  was  right,  He  knew  the  best, 

His  ways  are  just  and  kind. 
That  we  should  chastened  be,  was  but 

The  plan  of  His  great  mind. 

Now  soon  we'll  bid  a  last  adieu, 

Our  paths  will  outward  go ; 
May  heaven  vouchsafe  us  each  good  wish 

And  choicest  gifts  bestow. 
Our  lives  are  what  we  make  them  here, 
Perhaps  a  smile,  mayhap  a  tear ; 
Life  has  for  some  so  dark  a  hue 
The  saying  seems  to  be  untrue. 
Our  pathway,  wheresoe'er  it  go, 


20  POEM. 


Is  dark  and  rough  with  sin  and  woe, 
And  fain  would  man  to  circumstance 
Yield  up  himself  and  catch  at  chance, 
Did  not  his  reason,  better  part 
Of  him,  then  whisper  to  his  heart, 
Good  courage  take,  be  not  dismayed, 
The  hosts  of  sin,  though  well  arrayed, 
Can  ne'er  victorious  be,  if  man 
Will  do  for  right  whate'er  he  can. 
No  mortal  has  within  his  ken 
The  secret  thoughts  of  other  men ; 
The  mien  is  surely  not  the  span, 
The  mind's  the  measure  of  the  man, 
And  till  we  know  men  thoroughly 
We  ought  to  judge  but  charily, 
For  seeming  faults  may  virtues  be 
Examined  well  and  faithfully. 
The  great  I  Am,  whom  angels  praise 
With  golden  harps,  and  ever  raise 
Their  voices  high  and  higher  still 
In  anthems,  whose  deep,  holy  thrill 
Makes  Satan's  hosts  stand  dumb  with  awe, 
And  fear  and  wonder  of  the  law 
Omnipotent ;  without  whose  aid 
There  nothing  was  or  can  be  made — 
Gave  his  command  and  it  was  done, 
This  world  of  ours,  and  then  the  sun 
And  moon  and  stars  round  us  in  space, 
And  earth  became  man's  dwelling  place. 
For  his  own  glory  made  he  this, 
In  vain  was  nothing  made  that  is. 
The  sea,  the  earth,  the  sky,  the  air, 
His  wondrous  majesty  declare ; 
Each  one  obedient  doth  fulfill 
The  mandates  of  their  master's  will. 
Nothing  whate'er  created,  than 
To  make  complete  Jehovah's  plan. 
The  dark  cloud  that  the  sun  doth  hide, 
Gould  we  but  see  the  other  side, 
Would  greet  us  robed  in  silvery  white, 
A  proof  of  day  and  not  of  night. 
So  when  you  tread  along  life's  way, 
Despairing,  sad,  Oh  never  say 
There  is  no  good  on  earth  to  find, 
Kecall  the  Master's  plan  to  mind, 
And  be  content  that  you  are  blessed 
At  all,  and  leave  to  God  the  rest. 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  PRESIDENT. 


BY    HENRY    W.    TEWKSBURY,  WEST  RANDOLPH,  VT. 


Honored  Sir:  Tlie  most  eventful  period  in  the  history  of 
the  class  for  four  years  privileged  with  your  guidance,  is  the 
present  week.  Our  career  at  college  is  ended;  and  day  after  to- 
morrow we  cease  to  be  jovial  boys  and  become  serious  men.  We 
leave  these  quiet  abodes  of  study,  rejoicing  in  the  resplendent 
hope  of  a  successful  future ;  but  regretting  that  we  can  retrace 
not  the  "brief  moon-light  track  upon  the  waters  of  our  youth." 
Although,  for  the  most  part,  one  ot  bountiful  prosperity  and  pleas- 
ure, the  course  has  been  once  marred  by  sudden  grief.  You  well 
remember  the  removal,  by  death,  of  one  of  our  number,  when 
his  course  was  little  more  than  half  ended.  It  is  said  that,  when 
the  steamer  "Atlantic''  foundered  some  years  since  in  Long 
Island  Sound,  her  bell,  suspended  just  above  the  water's  edge, 
tolled  for  three  days  a  beautiful  requiem  for  the  dead.  In  a 
manner  something  like  this  come  to  us  the  scenes  of  this  week, 
serving  as  remembrancers  of  our  noble-hearted  classmate,  Daniel 
Gage  Hill.  For  various  reasons  a  few  others  have  left  us,  at 
different  times  in  the  course, — some  continuing  their  studies  in 
similar  institutions,  and  others  joining  the  great  herd  in  the  dusty 
thoroughfares  of  business.  Fifty  remain  to  receive  the  last 
maternal  counsel. 

Whether  or  not  we  have  acquired  that  intellectual  power 
and  general  improvement,  which  the  time  and  the  privilegesjiave 
conspired  to  offer,  our  career  and  record  in  the  future  will  alone 
determine.  We  are  aware,  Sir,  that  in  a  land  like  this,  so  full  of 
emulation  and  competition,  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  for  a  young 
man  to  attain  to  any  considerable  degree  of  influence  and  prosper- 
ity. Old  men, — men  who  have  grappled  with  continuous  difficul- 
ties for  half  a  century,  and  have  found  the  fiction  "fairer  than  the 
fact," — tell  us  that  life  is  "less  brilliant  than  the  gilded  promise." 


22  ADDRESS  TO  THE  PRESIDENT. 

And  we  have  found  that  even  the  greatest  efforts  are  seldom 
crowned  with  success,  till  after  years  of  disappointment,  chagrin 
and  defeat.  Said  one  of  America's  ablest  and  wisest  men — 
"Preliminary  failure  is  the  law  and  condition  of  ultimate  success." 
Both  history  and  observation  have  taught  us  that  an  unflinch- 
ing tenacity  of  purpose  and  unimpeachable  self-reliance  are  the 
only  passports  to  a  j)lace,  the  influence  of  which  shall  outlast  the 
fleeting  breath.  We  have  likewise  learned  that  it  is  not  the 
longest  life  that  is  the  most  successful.  If  it  were  so  the  chances 
of  eminent  success  would  be  diminished  by  a  fearful  ratio.  Thirty 
years  hence  the  class,  to-day  so  buoyant  and  expectant,  will  have 
passed  their  prime;  fifty  years  hence  the  majoritywill.be  in  their 
graves;  and  long  before  the  next  joyous  Centennial  each  will  be 

"in  his  narrow  cell  forever  laid." 


We  need  not  shrink  from  the  thought  of  this,  but  should  rather 
heed  what  it  would  teach  us,  and  go  forth  from  our  college  home 
as  firmly  bent  on  ultimate  success  as  was  the  Scottish  hero,  who, 
after  twelve  battles  and  twelve  defeats,  thought  a  thirteenth  might 
bring  victory. 

Honored  Sir:  The  hands  on  yonder  college-clock  will 
have  made  but  few  more  revolutions  before  we  shall  all  be  scat- 
tered roughly  through  the  world.  And  doubtless  the  beautiful 
foliage  of  these  majestic  elms  shall  gladden  the  eyes  of  some  of 
us  not  again.  If  any  shall  return  in  future  years  may  we  not 
hope  to  find  you  still  in  your  present  high  place, — a  blessing  to  the 
College,  and  an  honor  to  the  land  ?  Pained  that  overwork 
should  deprive  you,  for  a  time,  of  your  usual  health,  and  us  of 
your  invaluable  services,  we  are  again  gladdened  that  a  respite 
from  multitudinous  cares  has  restored  you  to  a  favorable  degree 
of  strength.     May  long  days  be  yours,  and 

"May  age  steal  on  with  softly-cadenced  feet." 

May  that  golden  dust,  which  you  have  so  happily  termed  "the 
best  fertilizer  of  a  Century  Plant,"  be  sprinkled  about  it,  as  here- 
tofore at  your  request,  in  generous  profusion.  May  the  clatter  of 
footsteps  in  these  well-worn  halls  be  redoubled ;  and  may  prosper- 
ity reign  in  Dartmouth  forevermore. 


CHRONICLES. 


BY  ABIEL  LEONARD,  FAYETTE,  MO. 


Classmates  :  We  have  listened  with  unabated  interest  to 
the  remarks  of  our  eloquent  and  popular  Orator,  and  to  the  flow- 
ing words  of  our  gifted  Poet ;  we  have  attended  to  the  other 
agreeable  parts  of  the  programme,  and  are  now  assembled  in  this 
quiet  and  secluded  spot  to  have  the  history  of  our  College  life 
unfolded  and  our  future  destiny  foretold. 

I  would  say  for  the  edification  of  the  assembled  multitude, 
that  this  is  in  many  respects  the  most  remarkable  class  that  has  yet 
been  graduated  from  Dartmouth  College ;  to  those  acquainted 
with  its  history  for  the  past  four  years,  the  simple  assertion  that 
this  is  the  class  of  '70  is  sufficient ;  it  is  preeminently  a  model 
class ;  there  are  many  causes  which  conspire  to  bring  about  this 
result ;  this  is  the  first  class  of  the  second  century  of  Dartmouth's 
existence  ;  this  is  the  class  which  is  to  give  tone  and  shape  to  the 
whole  century  in  the  college ;  classmates,  let  us  remember  this  as 
we  go  out  into  the  world,  and  whatever  we  do,  let  that  be  done 
which  shall  redound  to  the  honor  and  glory  of  '70  ;  and  let  me 
also  say  to  you,  in  this  simple  narrative  of  the  events  of  the  past, 
I  have  endeavored  to  deal  as  gently  with  you  as  circumstances 
would  permit ;  the  history  of  some  men  before  me  is  more  replete 
with  striking  occurrences  than  that  of  others,  still  I  have  en- 
deavored to  do  each  one  of  you  the  justice  which  you  deserve. 

It  will  doubtless  be  observed  that  in  the  course  of  these 
pages  I  shall  frequently  have  occasion  for  taking  Dr.  Paley's  view 
on  many  subjects,  for  you  know  that  in  23reparing  this  history, 
memory  is  what  I  am,  to  a  great  extent,  compelled  to  rely  upon, 
and  here,  as  well  as  in  recitation  room,  memory  may  prove  a 
"fleeting  show,"  failing  me  in  the  critical  moment ;  and  if  any  of 


24  CHRONICLES. 

the  minutiae  of  certain  events  have  escaped  my  memory  I  shall 
have  to  supply  them,  not  as  we  do  the  lost  side  of  a  field  in  sur- 
veying by  mathematical  calculation,  but  by  embellishing  the 
story  with  all  the  flowers  of  imagination  I  can,  and  at  the  same 
time  endeavoring  to  preserve  its  natural  appearance. 

In  the  Summer  of  '66  the  last  class  of  the  first  century  of 
Dartmouth's  existence  had  passed  the  critical  period  of  its  life — 
Freshman  year ;  the  Seniors  were  about  to  pass  out  "into  the 
broad  field  of  action"  and  leave  the  track  clear  for  the  "coming 
men"  of  the  next  century — for  the  class  of  '70.  During  the  whole 
of  that  Summer  the  eyes  of  all  those  interested  were  anxiously 
turned  hither  to  watch  the  signs  of  the  times;  daily  did  the 
mails  bring  in  letters  to  the  President  of  this  "Institoot"  from 
Psenes  who  were  anxious  for  catalogues,  and  doubtless  if  this  cor- 
respondence could  be  laid  open  for  inspection,  it  would  be  found 
that  many  curious  questions  were  asked  and  many  wise  remarks 
made,  by  men  who  were  then  innocent  Academy  boys,  but 
who  now  stand  before  me  as  grave  and  dignified  Seniors ;  men 
whose  shoulders  are  broad  enough  to  bear  great  responsibilities  ; 
whether  any  informed  the  above  mentioned  Official  "they  were 
in  correspondence  with  other  college  Presidents,  but  that  they 
liked  the  tone  of  his  letters  best"  must  forever  remain  a  mystery. 
I  could  not  say  "a priori"  there  were  such,  but  judging  from  the 
subsequent  history  of  the  class,  one  might  be  warranted  in  the 
conclusion,  there  were  those  sufficiently  endowed  with  "cheett 
for  so  doing. 

Abbott,  Brockway,  and  Hastings,  presented  themselves  for 
inspection  at  Commencement.  Abbott  was  heavily  conditioned 
so  that  he  might  be  kept  out  of  mischief  for  the  first  term  at 
least ;  while  great  fears  were  entertained  of  Dan's  getting  through 
college,  as  he  thus  early  manifested  that  propensity  for  tobacco 
which  it  was  feared  would  lead  him  to  such  an  extent  that  he 
would  be  compelled  "to  take  up  his  connection  with  college."  I 
rejoice  to  say  that  although  "Dannie  G."  has  made  frequent  raids 
on  Richmond's  tobacco  box,  he  has  been  quite  steady ;  has  success- 
fully weathered  the  storm  of  college  life,  and  stands  with  us  to- 
day anxiously  waiting  for  "that  interesting  ceremony"  which  is  to 
take  place  on  Thursday. 

Talbot  and  your  Chronicler  were,  I  believe,  the  first  men  on 


CHRONICLES.  25 

the  ground  in  the  Fall ;  we  started  from  home  two  or  three  days 
betore  it  was  necessary,  so  as  to  see  how  the  ground  lay  here,  and 
also  to  ascertain  whether  we  could  effect  an  entrance  to  these  an- 
cient and  classic  halls ;  judge  of  our  surprise  on  our  arrival  to 
find  so  small  a  town  as  Hanover,  when  we  supposed  we  should 
have  found  a  large  and  beautiful  city,  and  a  college  with  very 
tasteful  buildings,  a  magnificent  Park  with  every  adornment 
fancy  could  dictate !  Such  is  the  vividness  of  a  Paene's  imagina- 
tion !  I  will  state  here  that  ice  came  minus  the  usual  Psene  ac- 
companiment— the  umbrella.  The  first  man  we  met  was  Joe 
Hoyt,  and  very  incredulous  were  we  to  think  that  so  youthful  a 
boy  as  Joe  had  already  been  admitted  a  member  of  Dartmouth 
College.  We  noticed  that  on  the  arrival  of  each  stage  from  the 
depot,  Joe  was  on  hand  to  inspect  its  load,  so  anxious  was  he  to 
become  acquainted  with  his  future  associates  ;  one  might  easily 
distinguish  the  Freshmen,  for  first  was  seen  to  emerge  from  the 
stage  an  umbrella,  and  to  the  end  thereof  was  attached  a 
Freshman.  Judge  Plummer  next  made  his  appearance,  with  a 
silver-headed  cane  and  cigar,  who  told  us  of  his  great  wealth  in 
Tennessee ;  Judge  says  he  was  told  by  the  President  he  had  bet- 
ter lay  aside  his  cane,  not  that  he  intended  to  infringe  upon  any 
of  his  rights  but  that  he  would  thus  avoid  all  trouble.  The 
Judge  was  so  deeply  touched  by  this  testimonial  of  kindness  on 
the  part  of  the  Prex  that  he  forthwith  put  his  hands  in  his  pock- 
ets to  procure  a  cigar  for  our  worthy  Official,  but  alas,  he  found 
he  had  not  another.  (I  am  told  by  those  who  smoke  that  the 
Judge  has  since  been  frequently  found  in  this  condition  whenever 
there  was  a  second  person  near.) 

Gradually  others  of  the  class  strolled  in,  till  nearly  the 
whole  class  had  made  their  appearance  ;  then  the  day  appointed 
for  examination  came,  when  we  all  rushed  down  to  the  Prex's 
study,  till  two  rooms  were  completely  filled  with  anxious  Fresh- 
men who  were  eager  to  fill  up  that  blank  which  told  our  ages, 
residences,  etc.  I  remember  the  calm  (?)  expression  on  the  faces 
of  Locke  and  Parkinson  as  we  patiently  waited  our  turn  ;  had  I 
only  been  able  to  look  into  the  future,  and  to  see  the  positions 
which  these  men  were  destined  to  hold,  I  should  have  been 
alarmed  at  their  silence,  but  it  is  wonderful  to  think  of  the 
change  which  time  will  make  in  such  bashful  men  !     We   might 

4 


26  CHRONICLES. 

have  been  seen  walking  up  "Faculty  Avenue,"  in  company  with 
those  Seniors  who  were  so  kind  to  us,  with  long  strips  of  paper 
in  our  hands  which  would  acquaint  us  with  the  Profs.,  and  which 
would  likewise  state  the  objects  of  our  respective  missions.  In 
Mathematics  all  save  one  failed  to  perceive  the  difference  between 
plus  and  minus,  while  in  Latin,  Judge  told  the  Prof,  he  "must  not 
be  hard  on  him  as  he  had  read  no  Latin  for  several  years."  Af- 
ter these  preliminary  steps  we  again  visited  the  Prex  and  received 
our  papers,  which  read,  "This  certifies  that has  been  ad- 
mitted a  member  of  Dartmouth  College."  We  also  visited  that 
office  now  known  as  the  "Old  Twenty  Dollar  Shop,"  and  returned 
to  our  rooms  with  light  hearts  and — pocket-books ;  we  stowed 
these  important  documents  away  in  safe  places,  and  some  even 
sent  them  home  to  show  that  they  had,  without  the  least  shadow 
of  a  doubt  crossed  the  Rubicon,  and  were  at  last  safely  anchored 
in  this  haven  of  rest. 

The  upper  class-men  were  exceedingly  polite  to  us,  we 
thought,  escorting  us  around,  assisting  us  in  finding  rooms,  and 
performing  such  menial  services  as  looking  after  our  trunks,  etc. 
We  soon  found  the  secret  of  their  kindness,  however,  from  the 
fact  that  they  never  left  us  without  first  mentioning  such  a  soci- 
ety and  stating  certain  arguments  in  its  favor,  and  saying  that 
they  should  be  pleased  to  receive  us  within  its  fold. 

The  first  day  of  the  term  opened  auspiciously  ;  the  bell  rang 
loud  and  clear,  while  the  Freshmen  rushed  pell-mell  towards  the 
Chapel.  Richmond,  with  all  the  dignity  he  could  command, 
marched  in  and  took  a  seat  with  the  Seniors;  and  Hastings 
walked  leisurely  about,  while  the  bell  was  tolling,  inspecting  the 
buildings  and  wondering  what  was  taking  place  within ;  others 
strolled  in  after  the  bell  had  ceased  ringing,  but  were  kindly  in- 
formed Ht  would  avail  nothing  to  enter  so  late"  We  first  met 
the  Professor  of  Greek,  who  gave  us,  gratis,  sundry  bits  of  ad- 
vice, as  regards  our  general  deportment  and  the  zeal  with  which 
we  should  prosecute  our  studies ;  (it  is  a  fact  worthy  of  notice 
that  more  attention  was  paid  in  this  lecture  than  in  any  which 
has  since  been  delivered  before  the  class.)  A  lesson  having  been 
assigned,  we  took  up  the  line  of  march  for  our  rooms,  fully  im- 
pressed with  the  importance  of  study  and  determined  to  be  mod- 
els of  good  behavior,  and  to  assist  (?)  the  Faculty  all  we  could  in 


CHRONICLES.  27 

their  arduous  duties.  (Some  of  us  have  persevered  in  this  deter- 
mination, and  have  been  frequent  attendants  at  Faculty  meetings, 
discussing  matters  of  vital  importance,  sometimes  to  themselves 
and  sometimes  to  others.) 

In  the  evening  of  the  first  day  the  cry  of  f-o-o-t 
b  -  a  -  I- 1  was  heard  ;  what  a  boisterous  set  of  men !  we  thought ; 
and  what  on  earth  could  they  mean !  Judge  was  completely 
non-plused ;  he  had  never  heard  of  such  a  game  as  foot  ball. 
We  soon  found  ourselves,  by  the  advice  of  our  allies,  the  Juniors, 
on  the  common  kicking  vigorously.  How  manfully  our  Poet 
contended  on  that  occasion,  and  how  loudly  he  protested  against 
the  presumption  of  the  Sophs  who  basely  endeavored  to  carry  off 
the  ball.  All  honor  is  due  unto  thee,  oh  gallant  Chas. !  for  thy 
noble  conduct  on  that  and  similar  occasions,  for  thy  counsel  and 
advice  in  many  hours  of  adversity  !  The  class  of  '70  shall  fondly 
cherish  thy  memory  and  bear  thee  on  their  thoughts  "down  to 
the  last  syllable  of  recorded  timer 

Our  first  recitation  was  in  Homer  where  we  learned  of  Ulys- 
ses and  the  fair  Nausicaa ;  where  we  frequently  met  with  the  line 
Trrt  d1  a7to[iEt^o(ji£yod  etc.,  which  we  were  told  was  inserted  as  a 
line  on  which  the  weary  Poet  could  rest  his  mind ;  it  was  here 
that  Ave  frequently  encountered  those  questions,  "how  would  Xen- 
ophon  have  it  ?  and  if  it  was  not  as  it  is,  how  would  it  have 
been,  if  it  had  been  some  other  way  ?"  According  to  Livy,  we 
were  informed  by  Randall,  that  the  Tuscan  women  were  accus- 
tomed to  drag  young  men  into  matrimony.  I  am  glad  to  say 
the  Vermont  women  have  not  practiced  the  same  thing  on  Judd, 
although  they  have  done  a  good  deal  of  mischief  in  this  line  to 
Putney,  Wardwell  and  Tewksbury ;  we  also  speculated  on  the 
nice  distinctions  between  plies  and  minus,  and  learned  by  way  of 
illustration,  that  Lebanon  Centre  was  minus  five  miles  north 
from  Hanover.  Our  gallant  friend  Edgell,  at  this  time  made  his 
appearance,  who  was  regarded  by  the  ladies  as  pre-eminently  the 
"coming"  Freshman.  Leach  also  made  his  appearance  at  this 
juncture  ;  he  had  been  in  the  village  during  the  Summer  study- 
ing medicine;  and  ascertaining  the  anatomical  structure  of  the 
feline  tribe,  by  administring  chloroform,  and  then  dissecting  cer- 
tain ones  of  them;  at  the  time  we  made  our  appearance  in  Han- 
over, cats  were  very  scarce,  but  they  soon  increased  in  number  as 


28         ,  CHRONICLES. 

Abbott  can  well  testify ;  to  him  therefore  I  would  refer  you  for 
many  amusing  cat  stories. 

The  most  stirring  event  of  this  term  was  the  Freshman  party. 
You  can  all  doubtless  call  to  mind  with  how  much  trepidation 
we  were  gathed  in  that  upper  room  while  the  ladies  were  down 
stairs  waiting  for  us  to  make  our  appearance ;  finally  Wilson 
led  the  way,  and  the  rest  of  us  followed  like  a  flock  of  sheep. 
Colgate  and  Smith  were  so  infatuated  with  one  young  lady  on 
this  occasion,  as  to  allow  themselves  to  appoint  an  hour  and 
place  for  meeting,  and  ordered  "coffee  for  one  and  pistols  for  two? 
I  rejoice  in  being  able  to  state,  that  no  blood  was  shed,  from  the 
fact  that  when  the  appointed  hour  arrived,  which  was  quite  early 
in  the  morning,  a  sudden  fit  of  droic sines s  seized  Smith  so  that 
he  was  unable  to  be  present. 

Quietly  we  pursued  "the  even  tenor  of  our  way"  through  the 
rest  of  this  eventful  term,  till  the  examinations  approached ;  then 
how  fearful  we  were  of  the  final  struggle,  no  one  can  imagine ; 
we  passed  safely,  and  I  may  here  say  that  no  examination  has 
since  disturbed  the  equanimity  of  any  of  our  minds.  Then 
the  farewells  were  said  and  all  went  away,  some  to  their  homes, 
others  to  be  the  oracle  of  some  quiet  neighborhood  for  the  space 
of  three  months.  Talbot  taught  in  the  village  of  Lyme,  not  far 
distant,  but  for  some  reason  he  failed  to  teach  the  usual  time,  the 
reason  is  said  to  have  been  that  the  fwids  gave  out;  others  have 
held  a  contrarry  opinion ;  but  as  he  requested  me  to  say  little  of 
this  affair  I  will  refer  the  inquisitive  to  him  for  the  rest  of  the 
story. 

We  learned  during  the  Winter  of  this  year,  in  regard  to 
Latin  poetry,  that  in  scanning,  the  vowels  might  be  either  long 
or  short  by  nature,  or  by  the  authority  of  poets  or  students; 
Phelps  thought  the  latter  the  best  authority.  Ethan  Allen  re- 
turned from  his  school  and  amused  us  by  giving  a  complete  syn- 
opsis of  all  the  political  speeches  he  had  heard  during  his  absence. 
Ethan  has  the  best  memory  of  any  man  I  ever  saw,  and  I  think 
it  would  have  been  a  good  idea  to  have  him  for  Chronicler.  I 
feel  very  uneasy  in  standing  here,  for  if  I  make  any  mistakes  as 
regards  time,  Ethan  will  certainly  notice  it.  I  hope  our  Prophet 
will  predict  him  a  glorious  future.  Talbot  and  Richmond  tell 
the  story  that,  when  rooming  in  the  Kimball  house,  Ethan,  whose 


CIIlWmCLIJK  29 

room  was  above  theirs,  annoyed  them  exceedingly  every  morn- 
ing in  winding  his  watch,  for  the  springs  were  so  strong  Ethan 
was  compelled  to  put  his  foot  on  the  watch  so  as  to  turn  the  key. 
Richmond  and  Hastings  attended  the  fire  which  occurred  at 
Norwich  on  the  first  of  April ;  when  they  got  as  far  as  the  river 
they  concluded  it  was  all  a  sell,  and  returned,  while  Folsom  said 
that  in  going  across  the  common  he  remarked  fire  several  times. 
The  next  day  a  reward  was  offered  to  any  one  who  would 
acknowledge  he  had  gone  to  the  fire  the  night  before,  but  at  this 
time  money  was  so  abundant  that  no  one  desired  any  more.  During 
this  term  Epping  and  Derby  Line  sent,  each,  a  delegate  to  the 
class  of  '70.  I  remember  of  seeing,  one  day,  a  crowd  gathered 
near  the  hotel,  composed  of  Freshmen,  who  were  eagerly  plying 
a  tall  and  majestic  figure  with  arguments  in  favor  of  the  A  K 
society;  in  the  prominent  figure  I  recognized  the  individual 
whom  we  now  know  as  Steele, — he  who  was  afterwards  particu- 
larly enjoined  by  his  land-lady,  when  she  was  about  to  leave 
home,  to  look  after  the  welfare  of  her  cats,  and  who  sent  her  the 
following  concise  and  expressive  telegram :     "The  cats — are — hap- 

py" 

Putney,  to  whom  the  care  of  the  temperance  pledge  was  en- 
trusted, called  upon  Steele  for  his  autograph  before  he  had  un- 
packed his  trunk ;  and  through  his  influence  Durgin  was  led  to 
identify  himself  with  the  good  cause.  I  regret  to  say  that  Steele's 
influence  afterwards  waned,  and  Durgin  fell  so  completely  from 
his  first  estate  that  the  Faculty  permitted  him  to  withdraw  from 
college ;  he  has  anticipated  us  somewhat,  however,  and  stands 
here  to-day  as  a  spectator  with  his  sheepskin  and  A.  B. 

It  was  amusing  to  see  the  interest  which  Bellows  manifested 
in  the  study  of  Trigonometry ;  his  enjoyment  in  the  develop- 
ment of  a  long  formula  was  astonishing ;  sines  and  cosines  were 
the  subject  of  his  conversation  all  the  day  and  at  night ;  they 
entered  largely  into  his  dreams,  Between  the  questions  asked 
by  Bellows  during  recitation  on  this  subject,  and  the  remarks  ad- 
dressed by  the  Prof,  to  Wakefield  on  the  subject  of  toothpicks 
there  was  no  opportunity  for  the  rest  of  us  to  say  anything. 

One  of  the  last  reminiscences  of  Freshman  year  was  the 
bottling  of  our  room.  The  Prof,  of  Mathematics  said  he  had 
had  hoped  that  viper  had  been  buried  but  that  he  had  nasal  evi- 


30  CHRONICLES. 

dence  that  enough  of  him  was  left  above  ground  for  all  practical 
purposes.  After  the  term  closed,  eighteen  (18)  of  the  class  vis- 
ited Mount  Ascutney ;  it  was  here  that  Cheney  immortalized 
himself  and  received  the  appellation  L  ''enfant.  Folsom,  also,  at 
this  time  manifested  that  propensity  for  tin  horns  which  was  the 
consolation  of  the  remainder  of  his  college  days.  My  heart  was 
deeply  touched  on  this  occasion  for  Peck  whose  slumbers  were 
all  night  long  disturbed  by  the  cruel  blasts  of  Folsom's  horn ;  it 
was  too  bad  that  a  man  of  Peck's  regular  habits  should  thus  be 
deprived  of  his  sleep.  We  returned  to  Hanover,  passed  our  ex- 
aminations and  sought  our  homes,  wiser  and  better  men,  Ave 
thought. 

Soph.  Fall  we  took  our  new  seats  in  Chapel  with  unspeaka- 
ble joy,  thinking  we  had  gracefully  made  the  transition  from 
Freshman  year  to  Sophomoric  dignity.  Our  class  was  at  this 
time  increased  by  several  persons ;  among  these  were  the  Dear- 
borns, Primus  et  Secundus,  men,  who,  as  we  shall  see  in  the  sequel 
were  destined  to  figure  largely  in  college  life.  Early  in  this  term 
our  match  game  of  foot  ball  took  place  in  which  the  class  crown- 
ed itself  with  glory  by  gaining  the  victory  in  a  shorter  space  of 
time  than  any  preceding  class  had  accomplished  the  same  feat. 
Bellows  took  his  position  in  a  distant  point  of  the  field,  where  he 
nobly  contended  for  the  honor  of  '70. 

Just  before  we  began  surveying,  Colgate  inquired  of  the 
Prof,  of  Mathematics  whether  he  believed  in  Phrenology,  and 
then  remarked  he  had  his  head  examined  by  a  man  in  New  York 
who  said  he  had  a  good  head  and  a  great  faculty  for  Mathemat- 
ics. "I  suppose,"  said  Bill,  "that  faculty  will  be  developed  after 
I  graduate."  We  did  the  customary  amount  of  surveying,  ran 
over  all  the  lots  about  town  endeavoring  to  ascertain  the  number 
of  acres  in  the  same  ;  we  worked  several  days  staking  out  the 
college  grounds,  from  the  recollection  of  which  we  were  told  we 
should  derive  great  pleasure  in  future  years ;  thus  vainly  deluded 
did  we  work  by  day,  driving  in  the  stakes,  while  at  night,  the  en- 
vious Juniors  would  pull  up  the  same.  The  division  to  which  I 
had  the  honor  to  belong  was  the  most  unruly  in  the  whole  class ; 
how  could  it  be  otherwise  when  two  such  gentle  gentle  (?)  lambs 
as  Locke  and  Parkinson  belonged  to  it,  and  who  had  agreed  con- 
stantly to  disagree    on  every  question  which   might  arise.     Pike 


CHRONICLES.  31 

and  Wakefield  were  found  in  French  to  be  death  on  the  verbs. 
Heber  and  Gen.  Smart  amused  themselves  by  Lighting  matches 
and  scraping,  to  the  great  annoyance  of  the  Prof,  who  told  us 
"ioe  had  better  save  our  sole  leather  and  walk  to  supper  after  reci- 
tation-" 

In  our  declamations  a  good  deal  of  originality  was  manifest- 
ed and  great  oratorical  power  was  developed.  Tewksbury  and 
Talbot  discussed  the  Negro  Suffrage  questions;  in  the  course  of 
his  remarks,  Talbot  expressed  this  graceful  sentiment,  "Sir,  would 
you  like  to  have  a  negro  call  on  your  sister  ? — and — and — no  sir, 
I  know  you  would  not."  Lewis  gave  us  the  astounding  informa- 
tion, at  this  time,  in  the  biblical  exercise  that  the  Passover  was 
derived  from  the  idea  of  the  passage  of  the  Israelites  through 
the  Red  Sea;  while  Talbot  startled  our  worthy  Prof,  of  Mathe- 
matics by  informing  him,  while  in  the  midst  of  an  explanation, 
that  he  saw  "he  had  the  right  idea."  We  studied  Earth  and 
Man  during  the  Winter,  and  Folsom,  while  engaging  in  a  fit  of 
hilarity,  which  had  become  almost  a  second  nature  to  him,  was 
requested  by  the  Prof,  "to  be  so  good  as  to  preserve  his  custom- 
ary dignity." 

The  first  outbreak  of  Primus'  inquisitive  nature  was  mani- 
fested at  this  time;  when  he  became  so  much  interested  in  the 
domestic  affairs  of  the  unfortunate  (Edipus  as  to  enquire  of  the 
Prof,  whether  that  personage  was  a  "hen-pecked"  husband.  The 
Prof,  was  so  completely  confounded  by  this  philosophical  inquiry 
that  he  replied  he  did  not  think  the  question  pertinent  to  the 
subject  in  hand  ;  while  Worcester  at  this  time  informed  us  how 
"he  kissed  a  gal." 

Near  the  close  of  the  Spring  term  our  little  band  was  first 
broken.  Poller  determined  to  leave  us  and  unite  his  fortunes 
with  others  ;  the  class  thought  it  proper  that  we  should  show  our 
appreciation  of  his  merits,  so  we  determined  to  escort  him,  with 
great  pomp,  to  the  Junction.  It  was  decided  that  all  the  class 
officers  should  ride  to  the  depot  in  the  conveyance  with  Roller. 
Folsom  thought  he  would  come  in  that  list,  as  he  (being  the 
monitor)  was  decidedly  the  most  important  officer  in  the  class  ; 
on  the  way  to  the  depot  the  equanimity  of  our  minds  was  first 
disturbed  by  a  blast  from  a  tin  horn  which  I  regret  to  say  Brown 
had  concealed  about  his  person,  of  which  fact  I   believe  we  were 


32  CHRONICLES. 

all  profoundly  ignorant  till  we  were  afterwards  informed  by  the 
Prex.  After  our  classmate's  departure  from  the  Junction,  the  in- 
ventive minds  among  us  began  to  think  of  some  innocent  (?) 
amusement  in  which  we  might  spend  the  time  which  was  to 
elapse  before  we  returned.  Colgate  suggested  that  a  tin  horn 
serenade  might  be  given  to  the  occupants  of  Tilden  Seminary, 
which  was  situated  just  across  the  river ;  the  idea  was  readily  ac- 
ceded to,  and  quite  a  number  supplied  themselves  with  horns  in 
which  article  of  merchandise,  the  Junction  at  this  time  abounded ; 
they  marched  up  through  the  streets  of  the  village,  and  thence 
to  the  Seminary  grounds  where  they  produced  a  concord  (?)  of 
sweet  sounds,  evidently,  to  the  amusement  of  the  young  ladies 
and  the  great  satisfaction  of  themselves.  On  their  way  back  to 
the  Junction,  Randall  was  forcibly  reminded  of  the  majesty  of 
the  law  by  one  in  authority.  No  sooner  had  we  reached  Hano- 
ver than  we  found  that  a  report  of  our  proceedings  had  antici- 
pated us,  and  greatly  chagrined  were  we  to  think  that  so  many 
of  the  minor  details  were  known.  We  were  called  upon  by  the 
Prex  to  give  a  statement  of  the  amount  af  blowing  each  had 
done.  Woodbury  stated  that  he  blew  all  the  way  from  the  cov- 
ered bridge  to  the  depot  and  back,  while  Edgell  said  he  "really 
could  not  state  the  exact  amount,  but  that  he  blew  quite  vigor- 
ously." We  were  told  that  the  feelings  of  the  young  ladies  were 
deeply  wounded,  and  that  some  measures  should  be  taken  to  ex- 
piate the  offence  which  we  had  committed  ;  the  whole  difficulty 
was  finally  adjusted  by  the  interposition  of  Abbott  and  Hastings 
who  were  sent  down  to  ask  the  pardon  of  the  young  ladies  and 
to  smoothe  their  ruffled  teelings. 

For  several  weeks  after  the  occurrence  ef  this  event,  certain 
members  of  the  class  amused  themselves  in  various  ways  till  the 
time  had  arrived  for  the  annual  issue  of  the  Sophomore  Bulletin. 
Folsom  took  it  upon  himself  to  revenge  the  insulted  dignity  of 
the  class  by  retaliating  upon  the  Juniors ;  breaking  out  the  glass 
in  the  windows  of  their  recitation  room,  and  sometimes  destroy- 
ing a  whole  sash.  It  now  devolved  upon  the  class  to  give  official 
announcement  of  the  Junior  Exhibition,  and  certain  members 
applied  themselves  to  the  accomplishment  of  this  task  with  great 
assiduity,  even  cutting  church  for  the  purpose.  The  Prex,  it 
seems,  noticed  that   some  were   remiss  in   their    attendance   at 


CHRONICLES,  38 

church,  and  culled  upon  Smith  to  ascertain  whether  it  were  sick- 
ness or  something  else  which  kept  him  from  his  post.  I  regret  to 
say  he  found  it  was  something  else  in  the  shape  of  the  above 
mentioned  documents  ;  three  or  four  editions  of  these  periodicals 
were  issued,  as  it  was  found  that  one  was  not  sufficient ;  it  was  at 
this  time  that  our  instructor  in  Botany  observed  one  morning 
that  the  spirit  of  study  was  not  abroad  the  previous  evening,  but 
it  was  afterwards  ascertained  that  certain  individuals  were  abroad 
engaged  in  adjusting  matters  which  which  were  to  tell  for  the 
blushing  youths  of  '69  who  were  too  modest  to  advertise  their 
own  show. 

The  Summer  term  at  length  arrived,  which  was  an  impor. 
tant  one  in  the  history  of  the  class.  Bellows  and  Wakefield  took 
French,  not  that  they  liked  Mathematics  less,  but  that  they  loved 
French  more,  and  besides,  they  wished  to  have  leisure  to  finish 
their  plots  in  good  style.  Boss  took  Calculus  in  order  that  he 
might  contend  for  the  mathematical  prize,  and  there  were  prob- 
lems in  the  list  which  could  not  be  solved  without  the  aid  of 
Calculus.  It  was  at  this  time  that  Boss's  sympathy  for  an  orphan 
cat,  which  he  met  in  the  street,  was  so  much  aroused  that  he  was 
induced  to  adopt  it  and  bring  it  up  in  his  own  family ;  the  inter- 
est manifested  by  the  class  in  the  cat,  and  the  wonderful  things 
which  it  could  do  were  truly  astonishing ;  no  sooner  had  Boss 
fairly  commenced  the  training  of  this  little  animal  of  the  feline 
tribe  than  Jack  Leach  one  day,  (while  Boss  was  at  recitation) 
forced  his  way  into  the  room  and  made  the  little  animal  beastly 
drunk.  Great  was  Boss'  surprise,  on  his  return  to  his  room,  to 
see  the  cat  cock  one  eye  at  him  and  assume  a  hostile  attitude ; 
aud  notwithstanding  the  attempts  of  the  master  to  soothe  its  an- 
gry passions,  its  pugnacious  spirit  could  not  be  tamed.  Great  in- 
deed, was  my  surprise,  before  the  close  of  the  term,  to  hear  that 
it  had  been  ascertained  that  I  was  a  most  inveterate  user  of  to- 
bacco. I  had  kept  the  fact  concealed  for  two  years,  (which  is 
more  than  most  of  those  who  use  the  weed  can  say,)  but  it  had 
at  last  leaked  out,  so  you  see  that  other  things  than  murder  "will 
out." 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  "Matthew  Matics"  was  on  the  de- 
cline, and  would  soon  "shuffle  off  this  mortal  coil"  it  seemed  fit- 
ting that  we  should  appropriately  inter  his  remains  ;  the  proprie- 


34  CHRONICLES. 

ty  of  this  measure  was  thoroughly  discussed,  many  things  being 
said  pro  and  con;  the  discussion  was  finally  ended,  and  Colgate, 
Bellows,  Hastings,  and  Leach  were  chosen  to  take  part  in  the 
ceremonies ;  at  the  sound  of  the  drum  the  procession  slowly 
wended  its  way  from  yonder  recitation  room  to  this  place,  where 
we  buried  him  "at  dead  of  night,"  with  many  tears  and  bitter  (?) 
lamentations.  With  this  ceremony,  and  the  award  of  the  math- 
ematical prize  to  Boss,  the  second  year  of  our  college  course  was 
completed. 

In  the  Fall  of  '68  we  returned  to  college  full-fledged  Juniors  ; 
Ave  were  now  ready  to  enjoy  the  Junior  ease,  of  which  we  had 
heard  so  much.  At  this  time  Walker  joined  us,  and  on  the  first 
evening  of  his  sojourn  here  he  told  his  chum  (Parkinson)  that  he 
ate  so  many  "roots"  (referring  to  lobsters,  in  which  luxury  he  had 
never  before  indulged,)  that  he  felt  quite  sick.  Hall  also  returned 
to  us  at  this  time  ;  he  had  been  a  member  of  the  class  before,  but 
for  some  unknown  reason,  he  concluded  to  prosecute  his  studies 
for  a  season  in  a  sister  college  in  Massachusetts  ;  (for  further  in- 
formation on  this  subject  I  refer  you,  by  permission,  to  the  edi- 
tors of  the  mock  programmes,  in  the  Spring  of  '69.)  Hall  has 
been  of  rather  a  roving  disposition,  but  has  at  last  settled  down, 
and  is  pursuing  the  study  of  medicine  in  a  foreign  university. 
May  he  prove  a  worthy  disciple  of  iEsculapius  and  be  instrumen- 
tal in  curing  the  many  and  trying  diseases  which  mortal  flesh  is 
heir  to.  We  entered  the  domain  of  Philosophy  determined,  as 
far  as  possible,  to  become  scientific  men.  Joe  Hoyt  was  discov- 
ered to  have  rather  a  philosophical  mind  in  this  department,  and 
his  eager  desire  to  pry  into  the  secrets  of  nature,  led  him  so  far 
on  one  occasion  as  to  cause  the  Prof,  to  inform  him  he  was  tak- 
ing unwarrantable  liberties  with  a  certain  piece  of  apparatus,  by 
which  Joe  was  endeavoring  to  ascertain  what  effect  pressure 
would  have  upon  a  stream  of  water  when  confined  in  a  small 
tube.  We  adjusted  our  binocular  parallaxes  with  all  the  care 
possible,  in  order  that  we  might  see  all  the  "points ;"  and  we  also 
endeavored  to  catch  all  "the  thoughts;"  the  Prof,  adjusting  his  so 
as  to  see  double  was  enabled  faintly  to  discern  a  pair  of  Talbot's 
side  whiskers  which,  after  two  years'  careful  cultivation  had  pro- 
truded through  the  epidermis  on  his  face ;  Steele,  also,  who  at 
this  time  began  the  application  of  a  certain  preparation  which  is 


CHRONICLES.  35 

warranted  to  force  a  growth  in  six  weeks,  and  by  contracting  a 
large  bUl  with  the  barber,  lias  at  length  got  his  whiskers  long 
enough  to  be  visible.  Gen.  Smart  would  have  succeeded  as  well 
as  Steele,  had  it  not  been  for  the  fact  that,  on  one  occasion  while 
attempting  literally  to  "go  up  the  spout"  he  fell,  and  tore  the 
skin  from  his  face  to  such  a  depth  that  serious  fears  are  enter- 
tained as  to  whether  any  more  will  "grow. 

While  reading  Quintilian,  Holt  and  the  Prof,  discussed  the 
question  whether  it  were  proper  to  make  promises  to  children 
when  there  was  no  intention  of  redeeming  them.  Holt  clung  to 
the  negative  of  the  question  with  great  pertinacity,  but  in  his  ex- 
perience as  a  school-master  he  found  it  necessary  to  change  his 
position,  and  sometimes  to  perform  deeds  in  which  no  promise 
was  made — e.  g.,  when  he  licked  the  boy  in  Lebanon  who  at- 
tempted to  stab  him. 

A  very  important  duty  now  devolved  upon  the  class,  name- 
ly :  the  award  of  the  annual  Junior  prizes.  The  class  with  great 
wisdom  shrunk  from  the  responsibility  of  making  the  award,  in- 
asmuch as  there  were  so  many  symmetrical  men,  and  men  of 
such  large  capacity  ;  all  were  so  anxious  to  become  candidates 
for  these  honors,  that  no  attempt  was  made  at  "slicking  up,"  and 
all  ate  heartily ;  Wakefield  indulged  to  such  an  extent  in  the  vi- 
ands spread  before  him  that  he  seriously  injured  his  constitution, 
and  great  fears  are  entertained  whether  he  will  ever  be  able  to 
recruit  his  wasted  strength;  it  is  needless  to  say  the  price  of 
board  went  up  very  high,  and  the  tailors  suffered  greatly  this 
term  from  lack  of  patronage;  it  was  impossible  to  make  any  just 
award,  and  the  class  unwilling  to  be  unjust  were  about  to  give 
up  the  whole  matter,  when  tioo  men,  who,  occupy  positions  in 
the  exercises  of  this  day,  stepped  forward  and  besought  the  class 
to  confer  the  honors  upon  them,  and  in  view  of  their  popularity 
the  request  was  granted.  You  doubtless  recollect  the  air  of  dis- 
appointment depicted  upon  the  faces  of  Wakefield,  Boss,  Colgate, 
Lewis,  and  others;  modesty,  and  considerations  of  a  personal  na- 
ture forbid  my  speaking  further  of  this  transaction;  so  I  draw  the 
veil. 

At  this  time  the  students  in  college  discussed  the  propriety 
of  a  grand  midnight  parade ;  the  class  of  '70,  which  has  always 
been  found  at  the  post  of  duty  in  case  of  any  emergency,  readily 


36  CHRONICLES. 

concurred  in  the  opinion  of  the  College,  and  made  extensive 
preparations  for  "doing  the  thing  up  brown;"  from  some  unfore- 
seen circumstances  Colgate  and  Boss  were  not  able  to  be  present, 
while  Bellows  was  seen  charging  up  and  down  the  streets  upon 
a  white  horse,  with  a  white  sheet  tied  about  his  neck,  and  a  huge 
tin  horn  in  his  hand  which  he  blew  vigorously ;  the-resultsof  this 
parade  were  disastrous ;  tomato  vines  were  spoiled  of  their  fruit ; 
dean  wall  paper  was  soiled,  and  strangest  of  all  to  say  on  account 
of  this  innocent  (?)  amusement,  a  vacation  or  three  months  was 
granted  to  several  students;  in  view  of  his  health,  Secundus  con- 
cluded to  avail  himself  of  this  opportunity  for  going  home  ;  at 
first  the  College  was  disposed  to  rebel  against  the  action  of  the 
Faculty,  but  when  we  fully  appreciated  the  spirit  with  which  they 
had  acted,  we  wisely  concluded  to  drop  the  whole  matter. 

Those  of  us  who  were  present  enjoyed  the  Winter  term  of 
this  year  very  much ;  Judge  Plummer  acted  as  monitor,  and  was 
very  lenient,  indeed  ;  the  Judge  never  appointed  a  substitute  but 
took  the  whole  matter  into  his  own  hands,  and  only  marked 
those  whom  he  observed  to  be  absent. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  your  Chronicler  received  the 
sobriquet  Venus,  from  the  Prof,  of  Philosophy  ;  I  record  this  fact 
with  great  care  as  this  marked  an  important  epoch  in  his  career 
as  a  Junior.  In  the  study  of  Logic  Primus  manifested  his  logi. 
cal  acuteness  by  asking  the  Prof.  "What  is  a  plank  ?"  The  Prof, 
was  so  completely  stunned  by  this  inquiry  that  he  immediately 
collapsed,  and  has  since  been  very  shy  of  answering  any  ques- 
tions put  by  Primus.  The  time  for  the  annual  Junior  Exhibi- 
tion arrived  as  announced  by  the  usual  programmes.  Parkinson 
in  his  zeal  for  the  search  after  programmes,  came  in  contact  with 
several  Sophs,  who  came  very  near  strangling  him  and  burying 
him  in  the  sand,  as  Moses  did  the  Egyptian  of  old.  Woodbury 
was  more  successful  in  his  search  and  "gobbled"  quite  a  number 
in  the  room  of  a  member  of  "the  grand  and  glorious  class  which 
graduated  at  the  last  Centennial." 

We  were  rejoiced  to  think  that  with  the  Summer  we  should 
close  up  our  studies  in  Latin  and  Greek ;  we  were  now  about  to 
begin  the  more  interesting  study  of  German  ;  in  the  pronuncia- 
tion of  this  language  Putney  proved  himself  quite  an  adept;  but 
notwithstanding    all  the    efforts    of  the   Prof,  to  correct  him,  he 


■& 


CHRONICLES,  37 

would  persist  in  calling  JBuch,  buck  and  bush  ;  wo  took,  also,  at 
this  time,  a  final  review  of  Plato's  Philosophy.  Wardwell  was 
particularly  fond  of  this  study,  as  I  am  told  that  whenever  he 
read  of  harmony  very  pleasant  recollections  were  called  to  mind. 

In  the  Fall  of  '69  we  returned  to  college  full-fledged,  digni- 
fied Seniors  ;  the  transition  from  Junior  ease  to  Senior  dignity 
was  easy  and  graceful — we  felt  exceedingly  elated  that  we  had 
at  last  reached  that  period  in  our  College  life  which  is  so  eagerly 
looked  forward  to  by  Freshmen  ;  it  is  true  that  Durgin  and  Smith 
had  also  desired  the  same  position  that  we  had  attained  to ;  but 
when  we  learned  that  the  last  Base  Ball  trip  of  these  gentlemen 
to  Lowell  had  proved  too  much  for  them,  we  indeed  concluded 
that  "the  ways  of  the  Faculty  are  inscrutable  and  past  finding 
out."' 

Eight  or  ten  men  of  '70  found  themselves  located  in  Reed 
Hall  and  were  bent  on  having  a  good  time.  Boss  declared 
that  his  object  in  going  to  the  College  Buildings  and  taking 
charge  of  the  Bell,  Junior  Year,  was  that  he  might  regulate  his 
habits.  He  soon  tired  of  his  bargain  however,  and  after  making 
several  unsuccessful  attempts  at  ringing  the  six  o'clock  Bell, 
(although  the  President  had  provided  an  alarm  clock  to  wake 
him  at  the  proper  hour,)  he  gave  up  the  employment.  I  have 
however  one  worthy  deed  to  record  of  Boss  in  this  connection. 
He  did  not  give  up  the  charge  of  the  Bell  till  he  had  effectually 
cured  an  unsuspecting  Junior,  of  fastening  Seniors  in  their  rooms, 
by  thoroughly  soaking  him  with  three  bucketsful  of  HO. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  certain  members  of  the  class 
began  their  attentions  to  t\\Q  fair  se.r.  Edgell  spent  much  of  his 
time  in  perambulating  the  streets  of  Hanover  with  certain  fair 
ones,  in  regard  to  whom  there  existed  a  sort  of  rivalry  between 
himself  and  several  Juniors,  and  upon  whom  the  smiles  of  these 
damsels  were  alternately  bestowed.  In  the  studies  of  this  year 
EdgelL  Primus  and  Cheney  manifested  a  good  deal  of  curiosity, 
particularly  so  in  Chemistry,  where  we  had  continual  tears  that 
that  they  would  some  day  go  off  as  gas.  During  this  year  Boss' 
interest  in  cats  again  revived  ;  he  took  a  small  specimen  to  Reed 
Hall  which  soon  commanded  the  sympathy  of  all  the  inmates  of 
that  building.  The  cat  fared  sumptuously  for  a  long,  time, 
having  so  many  persons  to  look  after   her   welfare.      In    all    the 


38  CHRONICLES. 

clubs  where  the  boys  boarded,  the  cat  was  remembered,  and  she 
partook  freely  of  all  the  luxuries  which  they  enjoyed.  I  regret 
to  say  however  that  Boss  soon  began  to  corrupt  the  moral  nature 
of  the  cat.  He  even  went  so  far  as  to  attempt  to  prevail  on  the 
little  animal  to  drink  intoxicating  liquors,  and  alas  !  when  he 
found  that  moral  suasion  could  affect  nothing,  he  forced  the  cat 
to  imbibe  so  freely,  that  she  became  beastly  intoxicated  ;  then 
when  he  saw  her  writhing  in  such  agony,  his  conscience  smote 
him,  and  to  atone  for  the  great  offense  which  he  had  thus  com- 
mitted, he  made  her  "a  coat  of  many  colors"  as  a  token  of  his 
affection. 

Deacon  *  Hall  suggested  that  it  would  be  very  appropriate 
for  the  Senior  Class  at  the  close  of  the  Fall  term  to  close  up  their 
exercises  with  a  Class  Supper.  He  had  an  extensive  acquaint- 
ance with  Asa  Barron,  at  the  Junction,  and  he  thought  he  could 
make  satisfactory  arrangements  for  a  supper  which  would  prove 
a  good  thing.  The  Class  readily  assented  (as  it  usually  does  to 
such  suggestions)  and  the  supper  took  place  at  the  appropriate 
time  and  place.  There  was  a  "feast  of  reason  and  flow  of  spirits? 
I  understand  that  the  Faculty  heard  good  reports  of  the  Class 
on  that  occasion,  which  was  a  good  thing  ;  as  it  had  been  the 
intention  of  the  Class  to  demean  itself  in  a  manner  satisfactory 
to  the  above  mentioned  body. 

Walker  was  engaged  this  winter  for  the  first  time  in  his  life 
in  the  lucrative  occupation  of  teaching  a  District  School  in  his 
own  native  town.  I  regret  to  say  that  during  his  engagement 
there  he  had  the  misfortune  of  encountering  a  woman  "pugnis 
et  calcibus?  Charles'  modesty  forbade  any  resistance,  so  that  he 
allowed  the  woman  to  lay  violent  hands  upon  him. 

During  the  winter  we  indulged  in  Geology  and  Mineralogy. 
We  studied  all  the  various  classifications  of  animals  extant,  from 
man  down  to  the  Trilobites.  Phelps  became  so  infatuated  with 
these  studies,  that  during  the  Senior  vacation  he  has  been  making 
practical  applications  of  the  knowledge  he  iias  acquired.  Dr. 
Abernethy  at  this  time  returned  from  Illinois  where  he  had  been 
engaged  in  teaching  a  small  school.  He  thought  it  best  to  have 
as  few  Scholars  as  possible,  so  that  they  might  without  difficulty 


*Hall   derived   this   title  from   a   sober  conversation  which  he  one 
iglit  had  with  a  certain  divine  on  the  subject  of  music. 


CHRONICLES.  39 

become  acquainted  with  him,  for  on  account  of  the  Doctor's  size 
there  was  some    danger   of  his  being    mistaken    for  one  of  their 

own  number. 

In  the  winter  of  this  year  Merrill  who  had  wearied  of  asso- 
ciation with  '69  and  left  them,  determined  to  cast  his  fortunes  in 
with  'TO,  and  lie  seems  to  be  well  pleased  with  his  decision. 
Avery  also  from  '69  joined  us  Junior  year,  and  afterwards  ren- 
dered himself  famous  by  shooting  the  "Wood  Pecker,  which 
daily  disturbed  the  inmates  of  W.  IL,  by  keeping  up  a  continual 
pecking  on  the  eayes  spout.  Avery  was  severely  reprimanded 
by  the  Police  Offcer,  but  escaped  without  further  injury. 

Cheney  who  had  been  appointed  as  a  Committee  of  one  to 
engage  the  services  of  a  vocalist  for  our  Concerts  busied  himself 
at  this  time  in  correspondence  with  various  ladies,  and  intending 
at  one  time  to  show  a  letter  he  had  thus  received,  made  a  mis- 
take and  gave  Primus  a  very  sweet  letter  which  was  never  intend- 
ed for  a  third  person's  inspection.  Cheney  has  played  a  conspic- 
uous part  in  many  transactions  this  year,  but  time  would  fail  us 
in  mentioning  the  details  of  his  trip  to  Lebanon,  when  he  with 
a  school  rnarm  was  tipped  out  in  the  mud,  and  on  another 
occasion  when  his  horse  ran  away  and  lest  him  in  the  lurch. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  Spring  term,  Richmond,  Wake- 
field, Woodbury,  Hall  and  others  were  aucustomed  to  attend 
all  the  Balls  in  Norwich,  Lebanon,  Enfield  and  the  Junction,  at 
the  same  time  they  never  failed  to  call  at  the  Bar  of  Messrs 
Bush  and  Barron  to  see  whether  they  kept  an  appropriate  and 
choice  selection  of  the  best  drinks.  Towards  the  close  of  the 
Spring,  we  began  to  have  serious  doubts  as  to  whether  we 
should  be  able  to  lay  hands  on  our  sheepskins,  as  we  were  led  to 
believe  by  one  of  our  Profs.,  that  it  all  depended  on  certain  circm- 
stances  of  which  we  had  never  before  thought. 

Dr.  Abernethy  and  Cheney  at  this  time  became  greatly  dis- 
gusted with  their  diminutive  size.  Secundus  says  Cheney  was 
accustomed  to  weigh  himself  every  day  or  so,  to  see  whether  he 
gained  any  thing  or  not,  while  the  Doctor  was  greatly  axasper- 
ated  that  Dennis  Ashly  should  mistake  him  for  Bob  Sawyer. 

At  the  begining  of  the  Summer  term,  the  whole  class  was 
present,  except  Farnham  who  did  not  expect  to  get  a  part  at 
Commencement,  while    every  one  else  did.     Parkinson  greatly 


40  CHRONICLES. 

feared  he  would  be  forgotten  on  that  interesting  occasion,  but  on 
account  of  his  good  behaviour  has  been  rewarded. 

It  has  always  been  customary  for  the  Senior  Class  to  be 
represented  at  Tilden  Seminary  during  the  Summer  term,  so  we 
sent  down  Colgate  and  Woodbury  as  our  representatives  (very 
proper  men  considering  the  conspicuous  parts  they  played  in  our 
visit  to  that  Institution,  in  the  Spring  of  '68),  Woodbury  went 
to  take  lessons  in  gymnastics,  while  Colgate  went  to  study  music  ; 
they  have  attended  the  exercises  regularly.  When  we  returned 
to  College  at  the  begining  of  this  term,  we  received  a  most  as- 
tounding piece  of  intelligence,  and  in  order  to  give  you  the  full 
force  of  the  whole  story,  I  shall  be  compelled  to  revert  to  a  pre- 
ceeding  occurrence ;  it  will  be  remembered  that  in  the  Spring  of 
'68,  the  town  of  Norwich  was  desirous  of  securing  the  services 
of  Putney  as  a  teacher  of  the  Classical  "Institoot,"  we  were  very 
loth  to  let  Putney  leave  us,  for  we  feared  that  some  ill-luck 
would  befall  him,  after  careful  consideration  however,  we  allowed 
him  to  go,  and  as  we  feared,  he  became  so  much  attached  to  the 
place,  that  we  could  scarcely  prevail  on  him  to  return  to  us ; 
during  these  last  two  years  of  our  College  course,  Cupid  was 
busily  engaged  in  laying  a  net,  which  during  the  Spring  of  1870, 
Putney  innocently  entered ;  who  would  ever  have  suspected 
such  a  thing  of  Putney  !  He  has  been  very  busily  engaged  all 
this  Summer  in  arranging  household  affairs,  cultivating  the  gar- 
den, and  doing  a  thousand  things  which  usually  devolve  upon 
the  Pater-Familias.  May  thy  shadow  never  grow  less  Putney, 
and  may  thy  life  be  prosperous  and  happy ! 

Wardwell  I  fear  has  lost  his  heart,  as  he  has  spent  much  of 
his  time  this  year,  visiting  a  "very  dear  friend"  up  the  Conn. 
river  valley.  (I  must  here  enter  my  protest  against  those  daring 
men,  who  had  the  presumption,  when  a  lady  visited  him,  to  lock 
Wardwell  up  in  his  room  in  the  highest  story  in  Thornton  Hall. 
After  various  ineffectual  calls  for  help  to  Primus  and  others,  and 
bruising  his  shoulders  against  the  door,  he  was  finally,  with  the 
kindly  assistance  of  a  Junior,  extricated  between*  nine  and  ten 
o'clock  P.  M.)  I  have  no  doubt,  however,  he  felt  nearer  Paradise 
then,  than  he  ever  did  before. 

I  would  say  to  Cheney,  Tewksbury,  Drew  and  Putney,  who 
are  so  soon  to  enter  new  relations,  ponder  well  the  advice  of  onr 
Law  Prof.,  before  you  enter  any  partnerships. 


CHRONICLES.  \\ 

During  this  year  Tewksbury  again  began  his  old  trick  of 
carrying  off  the  lamps  from  the  different  Halls,  and  committing 
various  other  depredations,  so  that  whenever  any  mischief  befell 
the  inmates  of  the  College  buildings,  Tewksbury  or  some  other 
Thorntonlte  was  always  suspected  of  being  the  offender.  I 
would  say  for  the  benefit  of  Pike  and  Locke,  it  was  not  Tewks- 
bury who  entered  their  room  and  turned  things  upside  down,  at 
the  time  of  class  election ;  but  I  would  advise  them,  before  they 
go  any  further  in  the  search,  to  enquire  of  Primus  and  Parkinson 
whether  they  know  any  thing  of  the  innovators'* 

When  our  class  statistics  were  gathered,  it  was  found,  (as  I 
remarked  at  the  outset,  an  I  subsequent  events  have  confirmed  my 
statement,)  that  this  was  indeed  a  model  class,  a  very  few  were 
found  to  practice  any  of  the  vices,  not  even  smoking ;  eleven 
were  found  to  have  agreed  to  slip  their  heads  into  the  matrimon- 
ial noose,  at  the  earliest  convenience. 

Nearly  all  the  last  term,  the  croquet  fever  has  raged.  Steele, 
Walker,  Wardwell  .and  others  may  have  been  seen  almost  any 
evening  in  the  College  yard,  engaged  in  this  interesting  game  ; 
the  Prex  thought  in  their  continued  application  to  the  game,  they 
were  setting  rather  a  bad  example  for  the  College,  so  they  were 
kindly  requested  to  desist. 

The  Senior  examination  came  around  in  due  season,  was 
passed  successfully,  and  after  assigning  the  parts  for  Com- 
mencement, we  were  freed  from  further  anxiety. 

My  task  is  done  ;  however  imperfectly  it  may  have  been 
accomplished,  it  has  been  no  small  job  I  assure  you  :  but  did 
time  permit,  and  had  I  not  been  bribed  by  Ice  Cream  and  Cake? 
much  might  be  said' of  the  adventures  of  such  men  as  Hardy, 
Locke,  Wakefield,  Richmond,  Woodbury  and  others,  upon  whom 
I  have  been  able  to  bestow  less  attention  than  I  could  wish. 
Our  Prophet  who  is  to  follow  me  will,  I  hope,  make  up  the  defi- 
ciency, and  will  doubtless  do  justice  to  all  whom  I  have  neglect- 
ed, unless  he  has  also  been  bribed  to  keep  dark  on  many  sujects. 

*Pike  and  Locke  have  accused  nearly  every  man  in  the  class  of 
being  guilty  of  this  transaction.  They  have  even  gone  so  far  as  to 
accuse  Allen  of  this  offense,  who  never  was  known  to  be  guilty  of  any 
irregularity,  except  when  he  tried  to  drive  Stone  out  of  his  room  in  W. 
H.  by  pouring  water  down  through  the  plaster. 

6 


42  CHRONICLES. 

Classmates,  our  college  course  is  ended,  the  last  recitation 
has  been  recited,  the  last  lecture  attended,  the  final  examination 
passed,  and  we  stand  on  the  threshold  of  active  life  ;  before  the 
third  setting  of  the  sun  the  last  cord  which  binds  us  together  as 
a  class  shall  be  broken,  and  soon  these  pleasant  scenes  of  college 
life  will  know  us  no  more.  As  we  are  gathered  here  the  minds 
of  all  revert  to  the  past,  and  as  we  take  in  the  view  of  the  whole 
four  years  in  one  comprehensive  glance,  let  us  above  all  things 
thank  God  for  his  merciful  goodness  to  us.  Those  of  us  who 
stand  here  to-day  have  been  permitted  to  pursue  our  studies 
with  little  interruption.  Sickness  has  been  the  lot  of  a  very  few. 
Death  has  been  among  us  once — one  link  in  onr  chain  is  gone — 
one  of  our  number  has  been  summoned  by  his  Maker  to  his 
account.  In  the  Fall  of  our  Junior  year,  Daniel  G.  Hill  left  us 
for  his  home,  where  he  thought  he  might  recruit  his  health  and 
again  be  permitted  to  join  his  classmates,  but  in  his  inscrutable 
wisdom  the  All-wise  one  decreed  otherwise  ;  in  May  '69, 

"God's  finger  touched  him  and  he  slept." 

We  all  know  the  peculiar  trial  under  which  he  labored  and  how 
patient  he  was  in  his  misfortune.  Let  this  virtue  be  an  example 
for  us.  It  is  not  for  me  to  attempt  a  eulogy.  Let  this  be 
reserved  for  another  pen  than  mine ;  let  us  follow  his  good 
example  ;  let  us  heed  the  good  advice  which  has  been  given  us  to 
be  men  of  integrity,  earnest,  just,  true  and  faithful,  and  finally 
when  done  with  life  may  we  all  hear  that  welcome  voice,  saying 
<'well  done,  good  and  faithful  servants,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of 
thy  Lord.'- 


PEOPHECIES. 


BY    J.    W.    DEAREORX,    SALEM,    N.     H. 


I  sat  in  my  chair  and  read :  "The  man  who  tried  to  look  in- 
to the  future  had  the  door  slammed  in  his  face."  "That's  bad,  I 
wont  try  it.  Then  how  shall  I  fulfill  the  duty  assigned  me '?  If 
not  permitted  to  draw  aside  the  curtain,  somehow  I  must  learn 
what  it  conceals.''     Again  I  read  : 

"Heaven  from  all  creatures  hides  the  book  of  Fate.*' 

Very  true,"  said  I,  "yet  in  college  no  man  is  required  to  read 
any  foreign  work  unless  there's  a  horse  on  it."  So  I  smuggled 
Bolenius  into  my  room,  but  soon  found  that  a  horse  on  Zriny 
wouldn't  do  for  the  book  of  Fate.  For  once  the  College  is  at 
fault.  They  require  of  their  prophets  what  they  never  accom- 
plish themselves — a  translation  without  aid.  I  reviewed  the 
President's  lecture  on  "Our  Future,"  but  found  that  as  usual  it 
contained  nothing  definite.  I  then  tried  every  possible  means 
of  getting  ahead  of  the  times.  I  walked,  talked  and  smoked 
with  Ballard  Smith  and  tried  to  live  fast.  I  joined  '71,  whose 
fame  already  aspires  to  the  next  centennial,  but  I  found  it  only 
a  mushroom  advancement.  I  advertised  for  some  kind  of 
unguent  to  increase  my  foresight,  similar  to  what  Steele  has  for 
four  years  been  applying  to  his  face  with  such  success.  I  joined 
the  Woman's  Rights  party,  but  found  myself  so  far  ahead  of  the 
times  that  Dartmouth  College  and  the  male  sex  were  forgotten. 
Xext  I  visited  James  Partous'  study  to  rock  the  cradle  of  the 
coming  man,  hoping  to  gather  something  prophetic  from  its 
squalls.  I  found  it  only  an  ab6rtion;  and  the  nurse  was  lathering 
the  child's  face  preparatory  to  shaving  him.  The  only  infer- 
ence I  could  gain  was,  that  Smart  did  not  begin  in  season  to 
raise  a  moustache. 


44  PROPHECIES. 

"Coming  events  cast  their  shadows  before."  I  pondered  on 
this  passage  as  though  it  contained  a  key  to  the  mysteries  of  the 
future.  And  so,  one  evening,  just  as  the  shadows  of  a 
beautiful  twilight  were  beginning  to  gather,  as  I  saw 
Wardwell  ascend  with  a  starf  to  the  third  heaven  of  Thorn- 
ton Hall,  I  thought  he  had  reached  the  very  zenith  of  his  joy.  I 
was  about  to  predict  for  him  a  glorious  future ;  and  judging 
from  the  length  of  the  interview  I  thought  it  would  be  some- 
what protracted.  But  the  end  crowns  the  work,  and  in  this  case 
judging  from  analogy,  I  reasoned  that  his  exit  from  this  world  of 
bliss,  though  late,  would  be  attended  with  great  tribulation,  and 
under  cover  of  thick  darkness. 

It  was  on  a  quiet  evening,  that  having  invoked  the  spirit  of 
prophesy  for  the  twentieth  time,  I  retired  to  my  couch.  I  lay  in 
expectant  slumbers.  Scarcely  defined  yet  graceful  forms  flitted 
around  my  bedside.  Soon  there  was  a  flourish  of  trumpets. 
"Gentle  Spirit,  whose  realm  is  Futurity,  enter  and  possess  me. 
Reveal  what  thou  hast  in  store  for  '70."  The  whole  length  of 
Bed-Bug  alley  overhead  responded.  From  the  mingled  clamor 
of  tin  horns  and  brazen  throats  I  could  only  distinguish  :  "Roorah 
for  the  Uh  of  July!  Hoorahfor  theUh  of  July  !  JPo-o-r-a-h  /" 
"Confound  those  Juniors,"  said  I.  But  I  stopped,  patriotism 
forbade.  If  they  would  only  cheer  their  own  class  they  would 
die  before  they  tired  of  it  ;  and  all  that  would  be  left  of  them 
would  be  a  perpetual  echo  and  the  records  -of  the  Faculty. 

What  could  I  do  ?  Bedbug  and  Bedlam  had  formed  an 
alliance.  I  visited  a  professional,  and  for  the  sum  of  fifty  cents  I 
have  the  following,  with  a  portrait  of  my  future  intended  thrown 
in.  Of  its  truthfulness  there  can  be  no  doubt — not  at  present  at 
least.  And  I  will  add  that  many  of  the  more  painful  consequences 
of  College  roguery  have  been  withheld,  that  no  shadow  of  coming 
disappointment  may  cloud  the  brows  of  the  anxious  parents  and 
blushing  maidens,  whose  presence  crowns  the  joy  of  this  occasion. 

As  the  coaches  were  waiting  to  convey  the  class  to  a  gradu- 
ation supper  at  the  Junction,  on  Friday  eve,  it  was  found  that 
Putney  was  missing.  Cries  of  "Putney  !  "  "  Whereas  Putney  f  " 
"Ho,  Putney!"  Avere  immediately  raised,  and  a  voice  feebly 
responded.     "I  have  married  a  wife  and  therefore  I  cannot  come." 

iStella. 


PROPHECIES.  45 

An  appropriation  was  then  made  for  his  destitute  family.  Noth- 
ing of  special  interest  transpired  at  the  supper  save  that  Leonard 
ate  sparingly.  Ballard  Smith  announced  his  intention  of  visiting 
Europe  this  fall.  Plummer  said  that  having  received  the  neces- 
sary funds  from  home,  he  was  desirous  of  engaging  a  school  with 
a  female  assistant.  Peck  said  that  he  had  decided  to  go  as  a 
missionary  to  the  Sioux  Indians.  Before  he  should  enter  the 
field,  however,  he  felt  the  need  of  a  thorough  acquaintance  with 
the  language,  literature,  customs,  religion,  (including  a  knowledge 
of  the  religious  books,)  origin,  history — known  and  problematic — 
of  every  people  which  the  world  has  ever  known,  together  with 
an  understanding  in  particular  of  the  attitude  they  have  main- 
tained in  the  various  ages  to  the  Sioux  nation.  For  this  purpose 
he  had  engaged  the  use  ot  the  Boston  Public  Library  for  seven 
years,  after  which  he  would  spend  two  or  three  years  in  the 
British  Museum,  and  after  a  final  review  of  his  College  studies 
would  proceed  without  delay  to  the  field  he  had  chosen.  Should 
the  Sioux  nation  be  completely  exterminated  by  that  time,  he 
would  prepare  himself  as  a  missionary  to  China. 

Directly  after  graduation  Wardweil  went  to  Thetford  to 
visit  "one  of  the  very  best  friends  he  ever  had, — nothing  more? 
He  coolly  proposed  that  they  change  their  present  relation,  and 
as  she  consented,  it  is  supposed  that  they  are  friends  no  longer. 
Serious  consequences  are  anticipated,  and  the  police  force  of 
Brooklyn  has  been  enlarged.  Worcester  got  as  far  as  Concord, 
when  he  excused  himself  and  said  he  must  return.  He  would 
give  no  reason  for  it,  only  that  he  had  forgotten  something. 
Arrived  at  Hanover  he  went  straight  to  the  express  office  and 
anxiously  enquired  for  "that  bundle."  It  having  lain  in  the 
office  for  some  six  months  the  bill  for  storage  was  quite  formid- 
able. In  order  to  meet  this  he  engaged  himself  gratuitously  as 
a  Piene  tutor,  hoping  that  this  position  would  enable  him  to 
dispose  of  the  remainder  of  his  furniture  at  profitable  rates. 

Bellows,  as  he  himself  says,  truly  reformed.  He  discarded 
entirely  all  poetry  and  romance,  together  with  sentimentalism, 
fictitious  and  personal,  and  before  he  left  town  made  application 
for  admission  to  the  Thayer  School.  During  the  vacation  he 
applied  himself  so  vigorously  to  Mathematics,  that  when  Boss 
entered    the    same    department   in    the   fall,  he    found    Bellows 


46  PROPHECIES. 

installed  as  his  tutor.  The  examination  was  so  severe  that  no 
one  else  was  admitted.  Phelps  and  Talbot  both  made  the 
attempt,  and  the  former  came  near  being  successful,  but  Talbot 
although  a  good  scholar  had  so  little  confidence  in  himself  that 
he  appeared  at  a  disadvantage  !  Bellows  afterwards  published  a 
work  on  Practical  Engeneering  and  a  volume  of  Meditations  on 
the  Higher  Mathematics. 

Stone  having  completed  his  theological  course  at  Andover 
went  west,  where  by  the  assistance  of  a  clergyman  he  completely 
petrified  a  young  damsel.  They  say  that  he  is  a  good  Orthodox 
minister.  On  some  great  occasions,  however,  when  they  expect 
to  listen  to  his  finest  efforts,  he  frequently  absents  himself. 
Walker  met  with  good  success  as  instructor  in  a  Missouri  Acad- 
emy, rising  rapidly  to  the  position  of  Principal.  After  amassing 
a  comfortable  property,  thinking  best  to  educate  his  children  by 
themselves,  he  became  the  proprietor  of  a  "home  school."  The 
number  of  pupils  is  not  limited  to  twelve.  Hardy,  having  become 
the  father  of  a  great  idea,  contented  himself  with  opening  a  peanut 
stand  on  the  corner  of  Main  street,  Hanover,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days  in  peace.  The  New  York  Times,  of  Feb. 
3d,  1881,  contains  a  lengthy  report  of  a  Temperance  address 
delivered  at  Cooper  Institute  by  A.  L.  Plummer.  He  is  de- 
scribed as  very  energetic  on  the  platform,  bringing  every  limb 
and  muscle  into  vigorous  action.  No  one  who  has  ever  heard 
him  would  think  of  comparing  him  with  Gough  or  Beecher. 

About  eight  or  ten  years  after  graduation,  Tewksbury, 
Wakefield,  Merrill,  Barber,  Hunt  and  Hoyt,  meeting  at  an 
Alumni  dinner  in  New  York,  and  mutually  consoling  each  other 
on  their  domestic  inconveniences,  agreed  to  unite  their  fortunes 
and  attempt  housekeeping  on  the  co-operative  plan.  It  was  a 
brilliant  idea.  The  law,  the  gospel,  and  mercantile  profession  had 
long  been  suffering  because  of  increasing  families  and  the  conse- 
quent multiplicity  of  cares.  A  commodious  house  was  rented 
and  the  division  of  labor  immediately  made.  Tewksbury  was  to 
do  the  marketing  and  his  wife  the  cooking;  Wakefield  and  fam- 
ily were  to  superintend  the  table  arrangements  ;  Hoyt's  wife 
was  to  do  the  washing,  as  she  was  quite  a  giantess,  arid  of  Irish 
descent,  and  Joe  himself  was  to  bring  in  the  wood.  The  over- 
sight of    all  sanitary   matters   was   to  devolve  upon  Merrill  and 


PROPHECIES. 


17 


wife.  Hunt  was  appointed  treasurer;  and  the  care  of  the 
children  ("Bless  their  little  souls,"  said  Tewksbury,)  was  confid- 
ingly intrusted  to  Barber,  as  a  was  a  bachelor  and  could  sing. 

O,  the  vanity  of  human  expectations  !  In  less  than  a  week 
the  individual  peculiarities  of  every  member  were  painfully  man- 
ifest. The  prospective  happiness  which  had  warmed  every  man's 
heart  was  an  idea  that  every  one  else  would  be  self-denying 
except  himself.  Of  course,  there  was  a  general  disappointment. 
Tewksbury's  wife  said  that  as  she  was  cook,  she  should  prepare 
whatever  she  chose.  She  liked  beans.  Mrs.  Wakefield  declared 
that  she  would  not  allow  them  on  the  table  oftener  than  once  a 
week.  A  full  meeting  was  called  to  see  on  what  day  this  impor- 
tant dish  should  grace  the  table.  Mrs.  Wakefield  said  that  she 
would  like  them  on  Monday  morning,  as  they  would  have  no 
callers  then.  Mrs.  Hoyt  said  that  as  she  had  to  wash  on  Monday 
she  wanted  beefsteak  for  breakfast.  Merrill  said  that  as  he  was 
away  on  the  Sabbath  he  would  like  them  Sunday  noon.  Barber 
said  that  for  the  same  reason,  -being  a  bachelor,  he  would  like 
them  on  Saturday  night.  It  was  finally  arranged  to  have  them 
on  Wednesday  noon,  as  no  one  had  a  preference  for  that  day. 

About  this  time  there  was  trouble  in  the  juvenile  department. 
Barber  said  that  as  he  had  never  been  adicted  to  bottling  while 
in  College,  he  did  not  think  that  this  duty  should  be  forced  upon 
him  in  the  nursery.  The  children  having  been  unwisely  permit- 
ted to  play  with  the  street  dirties  were  one  morning  taken  sick 
with  the  mumps.  Barber  was  frightened  ; — not  for  them,  but  he 
had  never  had  them  himself.  He  proposed  to  relinquish  his 
charge.  This  would  not  be  listened  to.  He  should  not  shirk  his 
work.  His  inventive  mind  found  a  partial  remedy,  however.  He 
fastened  the  children  into  a  room,  and  for  a  fortnight  carefully 
fed  them  through  the  window  with  a  large  spoon  ! 

A  last  imposition  was  too  much  even  for  Barber's  patience. 
When  Mrs.  Hoyt,  who  had  charge  of  the  washing,  and  Mrs.  Mer- 
rill who  had  charge  of  the  house  cleaning,  etc.,  declared  that  all 
the  washing  and  sanitary  duties  pertaining  to  the  nursery  should 
be  performed  by  him,  he  fairly  choked  with  rage.  The  clamor 
being  such  that  the  police  threatened  them  daily  for  a  week,  it 
was  concluded  prudent  to  disolve  the  partnership. 

Avery  succeeded  pretty  well  in  his  school  at  Gilmanton,  but 
the  fact  that  he  was  rejected  as  a  suitor  by  four  of  his  own  pupils 


48  PROPHECIES. 

shows  that  he  failed  in  the  main  object  he  had  before  him.  Ran- 
dall continued  through  his  life  to  be  called  a  handsome  man.  It 
brought  him  some  money,  and  more  credit.  As  class  sec- 
retary and  treasurer  he  received  a  letter  from  Smart  asking  a  loan 
from  the  class  treasury,  as  he  was  miking  advances  to  a  young 
lady  and  was  short  of  funds.  Juds'  reply  was  significant  as  well 
as  brief. 

"Dear  General: — Not  purse  but  policy.   Go  up  the  spout! 

Yours,  Randall." 

Entering  Tremont  Temple  one  evening  in  the  fall  of  1880, 
I  found  it  densely  crowded  with  young  men  and  women.  The 
speaker  then  on  the  stage  held  his  audience  spell-bound.  His 
voice  might  have  been  heard  over  half  the  city.  His  distance 
from  me  was  such  that  I  could  not  see  his  countenance.  The 
closing  sentence  however,  revealed  the  man.  "And  now,  young 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  as  I  stand  before  you,  a  mere  wreck  of  my 
former  boastful  self,  I  beg  you  give  heed  to  the  caution  that  should 
have  saved  me.  '  "Pe  virtuous  and  you  will  be  happy? '  I  at  once 
recognized  our  own  noisy  Locke. 

One  bright  morning  in  the  fall  of  1871,  an  individual  might 
have  been  seen  approaching  the  Hanover  Express  Office.  His 
countenance  sad  and  careworn,  his  downcast  eyes  and  languid 
step  all  betrayed  some  severe  disappointment.  Under  his  arm  he 
carried  a  small  box,  neat  but  strongf.  Entering  the  office  he  re- 
quested  the  agent  to  direct  it  to  Alexander  Smith  Abemethy, 
Squttastump,  Oregon.  The  bill  was  seven  dollars  and  a  half,and 
as  he  drew  his  pocket-book  to  pay  it,  he  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears. 
This  seemed  "the  last  pound  that  broke  the  camels  back.'1  For  a 
long  time  his  grief  was  uncontrolable,  but  at  length  in  answer  to 
the  tender  inquiries  of  the  agent  he  said:  "  Thesilver  cup  was  com- 
mitted to  me  'to  save  express7  "  Poor  Putney  !  His  great  heart 
came  soon  to  the  rescue,  and  with  a  trembling  hand  he  wrote  up- 
on the  box : 

"With  the  feeble  congratulations  of  your  disappointed  class- 
mate." 

Then  turning,  he  left  the  office  with  a  firm  step. 

Brown  became  President  of  Vassar  College.  The  only 
severe  thing  that  he  ever  said  to  his  young  ladies  was  : — "I  am 
determined  to  live  and  die  a  bachelor."     I  can  give  you  no  better 


PROPgflCIES.  I!) 

clue   to   Tewksbury's   life   than   to   refer   you    to    The   Rogues 

Journal  for  the  years  1870  to  1890  inclusive.  Holt  reformed  ; 
the  consequence  of  which  was  that  the  young  ladies  of  West  Leb- 
anon, Lebanon,  Woodstock  and  Quechee  lost  one  of  their  most 
ardent  admirers,  and  suicides  were  numerous"  I  visited  Hastings' 
church  in  Sandusky,  Ohio,  in  the  spring  of  1879.  The  only 
thing  remarkable  about  it  was  that  there  were  doors  to  the 
pulpit,  which  were  bolted  on  the  outside.  I  asked  an  explana- 
tion of  this.  "Why,  you  see,"  said  the  old  deacon,  "in  the  duller 
portions  of  his  sermons  (which  are  quite  frequent,)  Mr.  Hastings 
sometimes  amuses  himself  with  tossing  a  bunch  of  keyes  or  a 
two  cent  piece  ;  and  one  day  he  got  so  interested  in  the  diversion 
that  the  little  fellow  actually  tumbled  down  the  pulpit  stairs !  " 
During  his  preaching,  Hastings  directs  his  efforts  to  Steele,  who 
is  a  prominent  lawyer  in  his  congregation.  He  thinks  that  if  he 
can  convert  Steele  there  is  no  doubt,  but  he  can  fill  any  pulpit  in 
New  York  City.  He  has  not  yet  succeeded  in  this  however. 
Abbott  is  sexton  in  Hastings'  church.  He  takes  particular  pains 
to  give  Steele  the  best  seat,  and  never  -presents  to  him  the  con- 
tribution box. 

Smith  became  a  political  stump  speaker  of  some  note  and 
less  veracity.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  listening  to  one  of  his  most 
protracted   efforts   and  it  suggested  a  connundrum   from  Moore. 

"  Quest.     Why  is  a  pump  like  Ballard  Smith  ? 

Ans.    Because  it  is  a  slender  thing  of  wood, 

That  up  and  down  its  awkward  arm  doth  sway, 

And  coolly  spout,  and  spout  away, 

In  one  weak,  washy,  everlasting  flood !" 

It  is  getting  quite  common  among  newspaper  writers  to 
moderate  the  pains  of  their  readers  by  putting  serious  occurren- 
ces in  a  mild,  unsensa,ional  way:  For  instance,  we  read  : — "A 
few  days  since  a  little  fellow  in  Haddam  stole  a  bunch  of  match- 
es from  his  mother  and  went  into  Lovejoys  powder  mill  to  play 
with  them.  Poor  boy,  he  won't  do  so  any  more !"  In  the  Nor- 
wich Standard,  of  April  26,  1874,  I  read 

"Fatal  Occukrence. — Just  as  we  go  to  press,  we  notice  the 
departnre  of  our  beloved  Professor  Putney.  It  seems  that,  de- 
sjDite  her  expostulations,  he  had  planted  his  wifes  flower  garden 
with  potatoes.     Poor  man,  he  wonH  do  so  any  more  /" 

7 


50  PROPHECIES. 

What  became  of  the  remainder  of  the  class  ?  Time  would 
fail  me  were  I  to  speak  of  Woodbury,  and  Parkinson,  and  Leach, 
and  the  host  of  others  who  rendered  the  world  better  by  their 
valiant  deeds  and  strong ;  and  whose  words,  even,  will  be  handed 
down  "to  the  last  sylable  of  recorded  time."  There  were  some 
concerning  whom  doubts  were  entertained  in  regard  to  their  fu- 
ture, and  of  these  I  have  spoken.  But  of  the  others  there  is  no 
room  for  fears.  Like  Wardwell  standing  with  clenched  hand  and 
strong  shoulder  and  iron  heel  before  the  door  of  the  room  in 
which  he  was  incarcerated,  their  motto  is  "Ptt  find  the  way  or 
make  it" 

In  conclusion,  Classmates,  let  me  say  that  many  of  these 
things  may  be.  What  they  shall  be,  remains  between  ourselves 
and  our  God.  I  have  written  this  with  the  best  wishes  for  every 
member  of  the  class.  I  have  written  ''with  malice  toward  none, 
with  charity  for" a  good  many  of  you,  to  say  the  least. 


ODE. 


BY    JOHN    A.    BELLOWS,    CONCORD,    N.    H. 


Through  the  sunshine  and  the  shadow, 
Xow  with  hope,  and  now  with* fears, 

We  have  wandered,  tried  companions, 
Through  the  world  of  college  years. 

Clouds  were  resting  on  the  summit 
When  we  started  in  the  way, 

But  a  gentle  hand  has  led  us 
From  the  darkness  into  day. 

Tear  by  year  we've  watched  the  winter 
Spread  its  winding  sheet  of  gloom, 

Tear  by  year  we've  seen  the  maples 
Toss  their  leaves,  and  roses  bloom : 

'Till  each  landscape, — plain  and  river, 
Hill  and  vale, — looks  strangely  fair, 

Glorified  as  wTith  the  halo 
Artist's  paint  around  the  hair. 

Fond  remembrances  rush  o'er  us, 
Thoughts  of  pleasant  college  days 

Come  as  dreams  but  half  remembered, 
Or  as  long  forgotten  lays. 

Here's  a  song  of  joy  and  gladness, 
For  the  happy  hours  now  fled ! 

Here's  a  thought  of  loving  sadness 
For  the  peaceful,  silent  dead ! 

And  the  long  farewell  we  utter 

Dies  in  sadness  on  the  wind, 
Like  a  strain  of  yearning  music 

Leaving  blessed  tears  behind. 
Alma  Mater,  peace  be  with  thee ! 

Friends  and  classmates,  ere  we  part 
Let  us  breathe  the  sweet,  sad  Yale 

Hand  in  hand  and  heart  to  heart. 


FAREWELL  ADDRESS  AT  THE  "OLD  PINE." 


BY    SCHUYLER    C.    FAENHAM,    TOPSHAM,  VT. 


Classmates.  Ever  a  cloud  of  sadness  o'erhangs  the  part- 
ing hour,  and  though  the  glories  of  the  setting  sun  fill  our  hearts 
with  joy,  they  are  saddened  by  the  thought  that  a  day  is  dying. 
Thus  it  is  with  mingled  feeelings  of  joy  and  sorrow,  we  have 
gathered  here  to-day,  to  bid  adieu  to  college  halls,  and  grasp  the 
parting  hand  ;  for  while  we  rejoice  that  the  labors  of  our  course 
are  completed,  and  the  long-sought  prize  is  gained,  bitter  sadness 
fills  our  hearts  at  the  thought  of  the  separation  that  so  soon  must 
come. 

We  stand  to-day  upon  the  threshold  of  our  college  home, 
awaiting  but  the  maternal  blessing,  that  parchment  roll  which 
shall  tell  of  mutual  affection  and  of  duty  done,  ere  we  go  out 
into  the  world.  Our  college  course  is  indeed  completed.  Its 
labors  and  duties  are  over,  but  so  too  are  its  joys  and  pleasures. 
Fond  recollections  and  pleasant  associations  will  live  while  mem- 
ory lasts,  and  its  effect  upon  our  minds  and  characters,  will  be 
felt  through  all  eternity.  Its  record  is  written  and  cannot  be 
altered.  While  some  of  us  regret  a  neglect  of  duty  and  a  waste  of 
time,  others  rejoice  in  the  consciousness  of  having  "done  what 
they  could."  Let  none  be  discouraged,  but  all  profit  by  the  les- 
sons it  teaches,  and  ever  put  forth  every  energy,  nor  rely  upon 
past  attainments.  I  would  in  no  way  underrate  the  value  of  our 
diplomas,  yet  these  of  themselves  will  avail  us  little  in  the  fierce 
conflict  of  life.  We  must  rely  upon  ourselves,  for  it  is  not  what 
we  have  done,  but  what  we  can  do,  that  will  be  of  service  then. 
The  problems  of  life  are  ever  new,  and  in  their  solution,  books 
will  aid  us  little. 

We  go  not  to  a  life  of  ease  and  idleness,  but  of  toil  and  la- 
bor.    We  would  all,  each  in  his  chosen  calling   achieve    success, 


FAREWELL  ADDRESS.  53 

but  our  pathway  is  tilled  with  obstacles  many  and  great,  which 
can  be  overcome  only  by  unceasing  diligence,  and  the  hardest 
labor,  such  labor  as  in  these  four  years  we  have  not  essayed  to  do. 
Labor  is  natural,  and  necessary  for  man,  for  by  it  he  is  lord  of 
nature  and  master  of  himself;  it  enriches,  develops,  ennobles  him. 
Let  us  then  welcome  labor  as  our  truest  friend,  our  best  ally,  and 
work  not  in  drudgery,  not  like  the  hopeless  helot,  but  like  men  in 
earnest,  and  for  noble  ends. 

We  must  not  be  deceived  by  appearances,  for  the  world  is 
all  too  lull  of  quacks,  and  shams,  and  tinselshows.  Have  no  fear 
of  failure,  for  he  will  never  fail,  who  does  the  best  he  can. 
Shrink  not  from  the  world  with  all  its  selfishness,  and  antagonism. 
Expect  troubles,  difficulties,  dangers  and  bitter  opposition ;  ex- 
pect them,  welcome  them,  for  by  them  we  may  be  men,  without 
them  but  whinning  weaklings.  Let  not  the  flatteries  of  power, 
nor  the  love  of  fame,  divert  us  from  the  path  of  honor  and  strict 
integrity,  for  more  than  talent  or  wealth,  the  world  is  in  need  of 
high,  unflinching  moral  character,  and  in  these  coming  years  it 
shall  avail  as  never  before. 

On  that  autumn  day,  four  years  ago,  fifty  strangers  entered 
yonder  Hall ;  two  days  hence,  fifty  friends  go  forth.  Some  have 
joined  and  some  have  left  us  ;  some  whom  we  truly  wish  were 
here  to-day.  Speaking  of  the  absent,  your  thoughts  with  mine 
are  of  one  whom,  were  it  not  to  doubt  the  wisdom  of  the  Ever 
Just,  we  should  wish  were  with  us  now.  Upon  us  in  a  sunny 
day,  the  shadows  fell ;  into  our  midst  the  Sj)oiler  came,  and  bore 
him  away  to  the  land  whence  none  return.  His  life  was  a  lesson 
to  us  all,  keenly  sensitive,  and  suffering  more  than  we  knew  from 
his  sad  misfortune,  which  made  life  a  burden,  he  ever  had  a  smile 
and  a  pleasant  word  for  all.  Though  of  a  rough  exterior,  there 
never  was  a  warmer  heart  than  his.  Sadly  as  we  felt  his  loss, 
Ave  would  not  call  him  back,  for  we  trust  that  after  the  troubles 
of  a  weary  life,  he  enjoys  the  Heavenly  rest. 

Our  college  days  are  over,  and  we  must  part.  No  more 
shall  we  listen  to  yonder  chapel  bell,  as  with  its  silver  tones,  it 
calls  to  "Ora  et  Labora."  No  more  shall  Ave  behold  this  beauti- 
ful landscape,  or  together  Avalk  beneath  these  shady  elms,  or  visit 
these  classic  retreats,  hallowed  by  the  sacred  ties  of  friendships. 
In  the  classes  that  have  gone  before,  how  many  a   Damon    and 


54  F ABE  WELL  ADD  BESS. 

Pythias  have  there  been,  who  by  their  stern  devotion,  have  filled 
with  envy  the  cold  tyrants  of  earth.  And  when  we  shall  have 
made  trial  of  the  poor  selfish  friendships  of  the  world,  we  shall  sigh 
forth e  warm  affections  of  college  life,  and  as  these  come  up  in 
memory,  how  sweet  shall  those  recollections  be. 

Oar  number  is  fifty  as  we   go,  and  shall   be  just   fifty  ever- 
more ;  for  whether  living  or  dead  it  is  ever 

"One  circle,  scarce  broken,  these  waiting  below, 
Those  walking  the  shores  where  the  asphodels  blow." 

And  now  to  Darthmouth's  classic  halls  we  bid  adieu,  to  class- 
mates one,  and  all,  Farewell  ! 


K^pFILLINOIS-UReANA 


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